FlooJacked!
by CNJ
Summary: When a group of Hogwarts students are kidnapped by death eaters via floo powder, the remaining students must piece together a plan to save them before the kidnapped students are sacrificed to Voldemort. Strong language. Completed! Revised as of 5-26-200
1. Emergency Conference

_A/N_: Hi, thanks for reviewing my other stories! I love reading the reviews! This one is about the floo-jacking incident that takes place in April and May of most of the HP gang's sixth year. The usual disclaimers that Harry and his gang are not mine, nor are the floo powder and magical places, much as I wish that loveable Harry was...enjoy and review away!

**Floo-Jacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**1: The Emergency Conference**

**Harry**:

"...so at this meeting with the Ministry, we'll ask again about the yellow flame mystery and attest to the work that the Order and Young Order is doing to trace the death eater activity." I heard Professor McGonagall's voice go through the hall, probably speaking to a fellow teacher.

I was back in the kitchens grabbing some cookies and appleade on a cool evening in mid-April. _Sixth year almost over_, I thought. _After that will be just one more year here, then I'll graduate_. _I just hope we can win this war and the Young Order can topple Voldemort before we graduate_.

"The ministry still hasn't investigated the recent disappearances and the yellow flames that appear to be connected with it." It sounded like Professor Flitwick. "Professor Snape examined some of the ingredients used in the yellow flame and was able to find out that it appears to be made partially of python fluids."

It sounded like they were talking all the way down the hall. I swallowed my cookie and appleade fast, then sprinted silently down the hall after them, moving silently so they didn't hear me. My knees are no longer knobby as they used to be, now my legs are longer, look smoother, and seem more graceful.

The Order of the Phoenix is a group of adult witches and wizards who are assisting the aurors in capturing the death eaters who are waging war against humanity, the good side of humanity. Most of Hogwarts' teachers are in the Order as well as many of our parents. So far, the Order has done a fantastic job tracking down death eaters; just this year alone, about half of them have been captured, tried and sent to Azkaban.

The Young Order of the Phoenix, which I am head of, is a group of students that are assisting the Main Order and working to keep the evil forces from penetrating Hogwarts. This year, the Young Order place magical trackers in several areas that tracked death eaters' movements, which in turn helped the main Order pass the word on to the aurors, who then went to track them down.

It's a very fortunate thing that we have this Order of Phoenix, which is headed by Professor Dumbledore, who is also the Headmaster of Hogwarts because right now the Ministry is falling in shambles by cracks.

It took a major battle with the Main and Young Order at the Department of Mysteries to convince Minister Cornelius Fudge that I was not lying about Voldemort's return.

Some of the Ministry officials are on our side along with most of the aurors, but unfortunately, many of the higher members of the Ministry, including Minister Fudge, have a rather self-serving agenda...they're capturing some of the death eaters, but are letting them plea-bargain for shorter sentences and are attempting to pressure Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore to use some of us students as bait and instruments in this war.

Dumbledore and McGonagall are emphatic about keeping us kids out of the thick of war and are trying to keep our classes and school going as normally as possible. Yes, they also welcome the Young Order's assistance, especially in keeping on top of things here at Hogwarts, but they fear that if the Ministry gets their hands on any of us in the Young Order, they will sacrifice any of us and take the entire credit for the defeat of the evil side in this war.

Voldemort, who used to be Tom Riddle, has terrorized the magical community for a long time; it was he who murdered my parents when I was a baby. He's also killed countless others and I fear more will be killed unless we can do something to stop him.

I fought back a lump in my throat as I remembered how Voldemort had tricked Cedric Diggory and me into transporting via portkey to an empty graveyard at the end of my fourth year; he'd killed Cedric and drawn blood from my arm, gaining strength. It had been very traumatic for me and after I'd managed to escape, I'd had to cry into Ms. Weasley's arms.

Near the end of my fifth year, one of his follower death eaters killed my godfather, Sirius Black, right in front of me in the battle of the Department of Mysteries.

I also still get a tight throat thinking of Neville Longbottom's parents, who'd been tortured into insanity by that same death eater, Bellatrix Lestrange. She's one of the death eaters who unfortunately hasn't been caught.

"I, for one, am not willing to wait until Hogwarts itself is attacked," McGonagall said emphatically. "If anything happens to any student here, it'll be on my conscience as Deputy Headmistress! And I might add that as headmaster, Professor Dumbledore can attest to it too. Minister Fudge needs to realize that if he fails to back us up in this important stage of this war, it'll be on his conscience. As long as the Ministry and Hogwarts and the Order are at odds, Voldemort and his followers will be a greater threat to many more and for a longer time."

_They sure will be_, I thought with a nod.

"Minister Fudge is being investigated by the Parliament of Magic for possible corruption and bribe accepting himself," another teacher, Professor Tonks, added. She's the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"So I've heard." McGonagall walked fast ahead I just about lost them. But I know where the conference room is. It's right near Dumbledore and McGonagall's office. I've never been in there, but I know the door that leads there.

The death eaters are still very rampant, the remained ones are becoming desperate and therefore more dangerous, and all of us are scared. Now we can't leave Hogwarts grounds alone; we always have to be accompanied by a friend or someone.

I myself have been afraid to wander very far alone, although I've yet to admit it to anyone. Right now, I was just in the familiar path between the kitchen and the dorms, but I rarely stray far from it alone.

This year has been tempestuous for me, to say the least. In fact, it's been this way for almost two years. Starting with Cedric's death, I'd begun an emotional slide downhill...I'd lost confidence, been more fearful, had more nightmares, wept more easily, lost my temper more readily, had bouts of deep depression, and had been often moody and edgy, especially in my fifth year. Things had worsened with my godfather's death.

I think this year, especially last fall and part of last winter, my depression had deepened. The sadness and pain had been horrible, almost too much for me to bear. Things came to a head when I had a shocking experience last November where I nearly contemplated suicide. Thank Merlin, I'd still had the presence of mind of think about how it would affect my five good friends before I did anything so horrible.

I'd gone to a counselor, who'd helped some. I still see her once in a while. I still have bouts of depression, but they are more manageable now.

I often look at my five friends...Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, his sister Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood and know things have been rough for them as well; that's a large part of what fueled my depression.

None of us have said things out loud, but none of us have an easy time articulating our inner feelings our loud. Sure we feel each other's fears, pain, and joy, but we just don't often say the words out loud.

I can think my thoughts and feelings plenty in my head and I even write them down in a private journal that no one sees and I sense the others think about their innermost thoughts, but it's rarely said out loud.

I don't know why that is with the others, but with me it's two factors...I'm naturally reserved to begin with and secondly, until I was fifteen, I spent summers with and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, who were muggles. They'd not been understanding with me and often belittled and hurt me, so I kept to myself and remained a closed person.

Now thank Merlin's stars, I now spend my school holidays with my great-aunt Miranda, who is so much better. She's also a witch like my late mum and dad were and took me in after I'd run away from the Dursleys that summer after my fourth year. Aunt Miranda's very good to me and I love her.

I am lucky I have her as well as my friends because on top of what was going on in the wizard/witch world, I've had some real problems with some of my classmates spreading nasty rumors about me that I curried favor with teachers, "bought" Ron's friendship, and some other things that are really not true.

It was some Slytherins and Hufflepuffs mostly. This one jackass from Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, is the worst. Malfoy and I can't stand each other and I suspect he's been fanning these rumors.

Malfoy is the Slytherin boy prefect and has tried to use his position several times in attempts to sabotage the Young Order. Fortunately, Ron and Hermione are the Gryffindor prefects, so they've been able to counter any damage that Malfoy's wreaked on innocent students.

Late last winter, Malfoy tried to get Ron and another prefect, Padme Patil kicked off their prefect posts, but thank Merlin his plan backfired and the three of them wound up on temporary probation.

I'd been walking down the corridor with my thoughts and close to the long narrow end I heard the shouting. _The conference room_, I thought realizing how close I was to the administrative wing.

Yes, several of the people in there had raised their voices to a commotion and seemed to be trying to outyell each other. _Oh, stop it, please_! I mouthed, my stomach contracting in fear. I felt my brows tense up and listened.

It was frightening and I really couldn't make out what they were saying except a few phrases like ..._another cover-up_, _lies of the Ministry_... and ..._protecting the guilty_... The voices got louder and angrier and I was tempted to say the spell to open the door, go up the small rotating elevator, and barge in pleading with them to stop.

_No one will accomplish anything by just yelling at each other_..._please, please knock off this stupidity and get your heads together and work out a coherent plan! _I wanted to yell._ You Ministry people want us kids to stay out of it, yet want to use us as pawns at your convenience, yet you want our teachers to lie to us about what's really going on. _

I wished I could just say it out loud. My heart was hammering so loudly I was afraid it would give me away. So strong was my desire to just go in there that I had my mouth parted and had the spell running through my head to open the door.

But something stopped me from doing it just now. Maybe because it was close to our dorm time, when all of us had to be in our dorms by ten. I stood a minute, fearfully listening to the increased yelling when I made up my mind.

This is another argument that the Ministry and Faculty at Hogwarts and the Order are having...especially last year when this mess was getting worse, Minister Fudge had pressured Dumbledore not to tell me or other students much about what was happening and to not tell me about an important prophecy that could be crucial in determining my role in defeating Voldemort.

At first, I'd thought that my friends had been hiding things from me and had blown up at them, then seeing their regretful, yet honest faces, I'd realized that they were not to blame.

Ron and Hermione had explained that Dumbledore had told them to keep some things between them. But they'd been angry with Dumbledore for asking them to keep such an important thing from me and on the first day of our fifth year, had gone into his office and blasted him for it.

Dumbledore had felt bad about it and had apologized, then told them, then later me that the Ministry had pressured him to keep some things from me and I think other things from all of us students.

The Ministry had really been breathing down Dumbledore and McGonagall's backs through a tyrannical then-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Delores Umbridge. Umbridge had basically usurped control of Hogwarts, including the Headmaster position, and made life a living hell for most of the students, except Malfoy, who'd buttered her up and ratted on other students.

Thank all the stars Dumbledore was able to use the proof of Voldemort's return against Minister Fudge and order that Umbridge be fired from her position and that the Ministry no longer had control over Hogwarts. It was at the end of year five that he finally was able to tell me everything that I should know and about the prophecy.

I turned on my heel and ran down to the staircases which led to the dorms. I ran up several flights, holding onto a rail to keep my balance as one of them changed course abruptly. They like to move around, these stairs.

Once I reached my dorm, I waved to Lavender Brown, Ginny, and Hermione and ran up to the boys' dorm and grabbed my invisibility cloak out of my bottom drawer and put it on. I then drew the curtains around my bed to make it look like I'd gone to bed already, took off my shoes, then tiptoed downstairs and slowly out without the others seeing me.

I then sprinted back to the conference room. I had to duck behind a statue once to avoid bumping into Filch, one of Hogwart's groundskeepers. Unfortunately, this cloak doesn't dissolve my solidness. When he was gone, I continued silently.

Once I reached the conference room I said the spell softly and the door opened. I then got onto the rotating elevator and it spiraled upward as I made sure the cloak covered me completely. _Good thing I'm not that tall_, I thought with a nervous smile. I'm around five-seven, about medium-short.

The yelling was almost deafening up here and I slipped into the back sliding door without them seeing the door and stood. It was scary hearing this, but I had to know what they were saying. I stood silently watching them and sure enough, all the Hogwarts teachers were there as well as some of the members of the Ministry and many in the Order.

"...not willing to have that on my conscience!" McGonagall was saying. "That yellow flame is hardly a coincidence when it appears seven times right as somebody disappears!"

"But where's the...proof?" Fudge drawled.

_Cornelius Fudge_. _Or maybe Ron and Ginny's nickname for him is more fitting, Minister Fuck,_ I thought, my face flushing a bit in anger as I remembered an argument he and I had back in January on his last visit when I'd told him that he was just in it for the money and the title, but didn't really give a shit about keeping the wizard/witch world safe.

"But aren't the students and some of the witches' and wizards' words enough?" Madame Hooch barked. Her yellow eyes glittered and she raked a frustrated hand through her white spiky hair.

"The students are just kids..." Ms. Crestlane, a Ministry member put in.

"Oh, bloody BULLSHIT!" Professor Sprout bellowed. "You think because someone's a child, their thoughts and fears don't count! Well, let me tell you all this, it's their futures we're gambling with here!" _Right you are_, I thought.

"Well, it isn't easy for me either," Fudge retorted. "I get thousands of letters from frustrated parents each day, not to mention endless complaints from Ministry workers about stupid bickering among themselves..." They were talking simultaneously again, which made it hard to get what they were saying. I caught something Professor Snape was saying, though.

"...since I heard this straight from Slytherin's own boy prefect..." Snape was snarling. "I overheard him bragging about how his father had paid you, Minister Fudge, to order Dumbledore to make him prefect without considering other boys for that post."

"Mr. Snape, you are making a very strong assumption here," Fudge told Snape coolly, staring him down. Snape merely stared straight back, his black eyes cool.

"Is it true, Minister Fudge?" Dumbledore asked quietly. "You did order me to appoint Mr. Malfoy the boy prefect post in the Slytherin house."

"Only because since Hogwarts was in disarray at the time, Lucius' son was the best choice," Fudge countered back. "Lucius did not need to bribe me to do anything I didn't want to do." He stared coldly at both Dumbledore and Snape.

"I also add that it was Lucius before he went to prison last year, who ordered me to favor his son," Snape went on. "I admit that Mr. Malfoy is not one of my favorite students, but Lucius had dire threats if I dared not favor his son." Now several teachers glanced over at Professor Snape.

_It's not my imagination_ _after all_, I thought, stifling a gasp. When I first entered Hogwarts, Professor Snape, who teaches Potions, seemed to really hate me. Often, he'd humiliate and belittle me. He's bitter about a lot of things, so he also belittled most of the other students as well, especially Gryffindors, so I wasn't his only target. The one he seemed to lay off was Draco Malfoy.

Now it all made sense...my friends and I had thought that because Snape was the head of the Slytherin house, he'd actually liked Malfoy. Last year, I'd found out why he seemed hostile toward me...I found out by accident through looking at Snape's pensieve that my late father had bullied Professor Snape and really humiliated him.

I'd been devastated to find out. Snape had caught me and had been so furious that he'd bellowed at me to get out of his office. I'd run out of there, absolutely crushed. It had taken me a very long time to recover from that incident.

But that had been a turning point in Snape and my relationship, which had been cold, sarcastic and distant. I guess I hadn't helped my own case any by turning in sloppy work, snarking back at him at times, and looking through his pensieve, which I'd actually been looking for Ministry clues.

This year, Snape is not as nasty with us Gryffindors, including me, as he once was. My great-aunt Miranda and several others have told me that personality-wise, I am like my late mum. I think Snape sees that too, since before he just saw me as a "repeat" of James and I can see why that brings back bitter memories for him.

That explains why this year, Snape hasn't been coddling Malfoy Junior so much and letting him get away with as much as he'd done before...Malfoy Senior is not around to threaten him anymore, now that he's been in Azkaban since last summer.

"Sounds like some of your students need to work out some issues among themselves as well as you professors," Fudge stated, standing up. Some of the other Ministry members stood too, some of them grabbing jackets and outdoor robes.

"All of you, just keep an eye on students and Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore, keep watch over your faculty; they seem to have a handful of issues amongst themselves...we'll check in again and see if any of your students will be ready for the final battle soon. And if your students do join us in battle, your school will be rewarded and credited. Until then, good day."

"Don't you think we're concerned about outside of Hogwarts too?" McGonagall insisted. "We're not fixated on end credits and rewards." That started another round of arguing and it got loud again and I gulped hard, hoping they didn't hear my swallow.

"We are not going to get into the _everyone out for themselves_ thinking!" Madame Hooch bellowed.

"Since some of you cannot be civilized here, we're leaving," Fudge said coolly and with that, they apparated and were gone, leaving the professors in a frustrated huddle. _Damn_, I mouthed, feeling frustrated too.

"Well, another nowhere meeting with the Ministry dunderheads," Snape growled. "It's no wonder the main office in the Ministry is so round...everyone goes in endless rounds and nothing gets accomplished!"

"I know..." Tonks rolled her eyes. "Rewarded and credited as if we're at all concerned about that when some of those Ministry people themselves don't know which end is up. Good pointers, Severus."

Snape nodded at Tonks, then started to storm out, but he nearly crashed into me and I had to jump back. Unfortunately, there was a low stool and I tripped over it with a crash and landed on the floor. _Oh_, _dear_! I thought as my glasses flew off and I knew my cloak had slid partially off, exposing my legs. Several teachers gasped.

"Mr. Potter!" Snape and McGonagall both exclaimed.

"Harry...are you all right?" Sprout peered down at me.

"Oh...God..." I let out a shaky breath, and fumbled for my glasses, since without them, I'm nearly blind. McGonagall reached over and handed them to me and I put them on. I reddened when I saw them peering down at me as if I were some weird creature from another planet.

I then slowly and shakily stood, knowing that I owed them an explanation. "I'm...excuse me for listening in; I know I shouldn't have done it, but I've been so worried and I heard Professors McGonagall, Tonks, and Flitwick discussing the meeting in the hall, so I had to come here..." my hands shook as I nervously wrapped the cloak around my arm.

"And that gave you business to eavesdrop on an adult conference?" McGonagall's face was stern, but I could see a flash of understanding in her eyes.

"N-n-no, not really, but I'm so worried, not only about us students, but you all and the...magical world," I had to swallow again before continuing. "I...g-guess you see how some of the Ministry..."

"Yes, we are aware that many of its members have an ulterior agenda for defeating the evil forces," Dumbledore added.

"I'm willing to take wh-whatever's the consequence for...eavesdropping...entering without permission; I just had to know...what you were dealing with," I told them as we headed to the door.

"Yes, it will be a detention," McGonagall told me. "We know you mean well, but you are correct in taking the consequences. So, it will be a Saturday one as well. At nine in my office helping me with my files for three hours."

"Y-yes..." I let out my breath in relief. I'd known I was risking getting into real trouble, not only with the school, but the Ministry as well.

"Clever way of helping out this school, Mr. Potter," Snape mused. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or sincere.

"Mr. Potter...make us a promise not to eavesdrop on future conferences," Dumbledore told me as we headed down the rotating elevator. "It could be dangerous if the Ministry saw you here.

I decided to make a deal. "I understand...perhaps, next meeting, maybe one of you could...?" I looked at them.

"Perhaps a pensieve?" Dumbledore smiled softly and so did McGonagall.

"Oh...yes, thank you," I nodded.

"It's late, so we'd better be heading to bed," McGonagall told us.

It was late, almost midnight, so we headed to bed. Once I got into bed, I lay there, thinking for a long time.

It was a relief that the professors are standing strongly for us students. It was rather odd finding out about where Draco Malfoy really stood with Snape. But will it be enough to defeat the evil side? I worried as I turned over.

We have made lots of progress in this war, especially with tracking down and having the death eaters arrested. Professor Tonks know that the fewer followers Voldemort has under his control, the less powerful he is.

But will we be able to track down some of the sneakiest death eaters like Peter Pettigrew and Bellatrix Lestrange? Will even arresting the last death eater be enough to really make Voldemort defeatable? I think I finally fell asleep, but with a forehead wrinkled in worry.


	2. Vanished In A Yellow Flame

**Floo-Jacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**2: Vanished In a Yellow Flame**

**Ron**:

"...is rotten luck that Harry got caught eavesdropping and spent most of today stuck in McGonagall's office helping her in some dull task on her computer and files," I commented to Luna as the two of us wove our way through the crowds at Hogsmeade to head back to Hogwarts.

"Yeah..." Luna nodded. "Oh, I'm glad you're free today since Hermione is working on a paper today and Ginny's organizing her photo albums ." The air had a hint of spring in it after the long winter, but it was still chilly in the evenings. I really think they should have given Harry some lax and maybe just had him serve a regular week evening detention.

All of us have been worried about the teachers and the Minister's rotten handling of the recent death eater/dark magic insurgency in the wizard/witch world. All we have to do is look around and see many more aurors guarding the streets.

Also, we students must travel in pairs or groups off Hogwarts grounds including Hogsmeade and have to stay together at all times. I also suspect that Harry is relieved at this rule, since I think he is afraid to go very far alone.

He still occasionally suffers from the after effects of his traumatic encounter with Voldemort at the end of our fourth year and the disastrous havoc of last year Umbridge the Urk wreaked on Hogwarts. As we headed into Three Broomsticks to floo back to school, someone bellowed behind us.

"Roooon...Lunaaa..." We turned and Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, Ernie Macmillan, and Dean Thomas were weaving their way through the crowd behind us.

"Hello..." we called. The fireplace at Three Broomsticks is big enough for several people to floo through at once. Normal size fireplaces can only floo one person at a time.

Just then a group of other Hogwarts students joined us. Until this year, we'd been able to stay at Hogsmeade later, even overnight if we got McGonagall's or Dumbledore's permission and it was a Friday or Saturday night, but not this year. We now have to be back by early evening and there's no overnights.

"Ready...?" Luna asked. She pulled out the floo powder packet and let five fourth-years go first, then several fifth years and a few six-years. I heard something strange with the last group, a kind of _heyyyy_...

Luna must have heard it too because she looked over at me. The remainder of us strained to listen, but we didn't hear anything more. We stood a minute and looked at the flames, but they looked normal, a regular shade of fire-orange.

"Let's go..." Dean stepped forward. Luna sprinkled our bit of floo powder and once the flame turned green, making it safe, we stepped into the fireplace and said simultaneously, "Hogwarts..."

It should have taken us to Hogwarts, to the fireplace near the Great Hall, but it didn't happen. I heard a loud _WHOOOOOSH_, then a blowing sound and suddenly there were yellow flames around me...or us and some yells. The yellow in the flames looked sinister and I began to feel scared.

I mean really scared perhaps for the first time in years. This is the yellow flames that are being investigated by the aurors, I realized in horror.

We finally hit solid ground and the yellow flames faded. I sat up and looked around and was relieved to see the others with me. But where we landed was not Hogwarts at all. It was a narrow hall that resembled a storage space. It was hard to see if it really was because it was so dark.

"Oh, _Merlin_..."someone was whimpering.

"We're not at Hogwarts..." another younger student rasped fearfully.

"What _happened_!" Luna gasped. My own breathing was fast and tight. I really don't know how long we sat in that small space. There was just one barred door, so there was no escape.

After an undetermined amount of time when we sat, too afraid to move for fear we'd panic, figures zoomed beside us, a group of about twenty apparating from...Merlin knew where.

_Oh_..._God!_ my heart jumped into my stomach when I saw that they were death eaters. Several of us gasped. Right beside me was Peter Pettigrew, who'd facilitated the murder of Harry's parents.

"It worked," he purred, cackling a soft cold laugh.

"We have them here," another one crooned. "I think Lord Voldemort will be pleased, won't he?" _We're fried_ _London broil!_ I thought as I saw the terror in my classmates' faces.

* * *

**Harry**:

I don't know why I felt so nervous as we headed down to the Great Hall. Perhaps it was because my scar had twinged about a half hour before Dumbledore had called us early for dinner over the loudspeaker saying that he had something urgent to tell us. I found Neville, Hermione, and Ginny and the four of us headed down together.

I was surprised that my hands were shaking as we sat. Looking up at the teachers' table, we saw the teachers sitting, looking very grave. Hagrid was wiping his eyes and my heart began to pound fearfully and my hands began to sweat. Had someone died?

_Oh dear!_ I thought fearfully. Another thing I noticed where that Ron and Luna and several others who had gone to Hogsmeade were not back yet.

"I think something's happened at Hogsmeade," Hermione whispered shakily. Dumbledore clinked his glass for attention and yes, it was something that happened at Hogsmeade...very serious. The students visiting Hogsmeade today had been kidnapped via floo powder when they attempted to floo back here about an hour ago.

"...It is with a heavy heart of great regret that I must inform all of you that no one is to leave Hogwarts ground until the students are found and brought back safely and those responsible are caught," Dumbledore finished.

Most of the teachers were pale. Madame Hooch burst into tears and McGonagall reached over and put an arm around her. A few minutes of bedlam burst over the Great Hall as food appeared. Hardly anyone ate.

"Ron!" "Luna!" were the screams that came from Hermione, Ginny, and me. Neville began to weep and Hermione put an arm around him, tears welling in her own eyes. Ginny and I were trembling as we held onto one another.

From the Slytherin table, we vaguely heard loud complaints about being stuck here and Malfoy heaved a gusty sigh and flung his fork onto the table. Then most of them started to argue over something so asinine that I tried to tune them out.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Great Hall fell silent while some students made an attempt to eat without much success. McGonagall glared over at the Slytherin table as they got louder. Pansy Parkinson saw her and motioned the others to shut up. She stood and hissed _shhhhhhh_...loudly.

The other Slytherins I guess saw McGonagall's glare and fell silent also. McGonagall went back to trying to comfort a still weeping Madame Hooch, but I guess poor Hooch was still upset because McGonagall excused herself and Hooch and they got up and left the Great Hall.

Shortly afterward, Hagrid, still crying, got up and left too. The rest of the evening went by in a dark haze and all of us Gryffindors fell in bed early, all of our hearts weighing about five tons.


	3. Darkness All Around

**Floo-Jacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**3: Darkness All Around**

**Hermione**:

The next week passed in a dark haze. We went to classes and did what we could, but all over was the anguish of our missing schoolmates. Ginny, Neville, Harry, and I huddled close fearfully, never straying far from each other.

I concentrated on finishing my own assignment for the year and keeping an eye on the younger students since I'm the girl prefect for the Gryffindor house.

Harry was sliding back into a deep depression, although he struggled to keep afloat. Ginny was a wreck, especially since her brother was among the floo-jacked along with Luna, but for classes, managed to keep herself together.

The news was out in the wizard/witch world as well and the floo network was closed down until the death eaters were caught and the floo-jacked were rescued. How long it would be, we didn't know.

The floo-jackings, which also involved several others in the magical community now explained the disappearances and yellow flames throughout this year.

I'm not sure about the other dorms, but we girls in the Gryffindor dorms moved our beds together and huddled close when we slept. I think all of us were in a state of shocked disbelief.

Many parents rang Hogwarts and I spoke to my parents on the main office mobile to my parents and younger sister. Harry also received a ring from his great-aunt Miranda.

The poor Weasleys and Luna's dad and aunt...we could only imagine their pain. Harry and I put on a brave front during the day for the younger students. All of us had to be in our dorms after dinner and teachers and security guarded the halls.

At night, it was really dreadful. Ginny, Neville, Harry, and I all had bad dreams one night and came down to the common room and sat together softly weeping. Being not too big talkers on what was going on deep inside of us, it was hard.

We fell back asleep, not really feeling better. One thing that did change for the better was that the Parliament of Magic was moving to have several Ministry officials removed from office, including Minister Fudge. Dumbledore and McGonagall mentioned this at dinner one night.

"...many members of the Ministry allowed corruption to run rampant and had a self-serving agenda until we received this result," Dumbledore told us.

"...so the articles you see in the _Daily Prophet_ are alarmist now," McGonagall told us. "Try to take the dire predictions critically. We in the Order will take on the Ministry if necessary." There was a smattering of applause and silent tears streaked down several faces, including Ginny's and Neville's.

"I must say it is most unfortunate that many of the Ministry has served itself and used us as pawns while the death eater incidents escalated," Snape told us in Potions one day. "And today we have Fudge, that pompous putz, on the ice seat himself. However many of you may have despised me over these years, I do stand by all of you in the Young Order and appreciate your hard work over the past year. On that note, let's begin class."

Neville's eyes were wide with surprise, I guess because it was the nicest thing that Snape had ever told us. So we started the class.

Of course, we knew Snape would still have the sarcastic edge, but now many of us understand it better now. He's mostly burned out with teaching and I hear through the vine that he had a really rough childhood and adolescence.

To Harry's pain, Harry's dad, James, had also bullied Snape back in their Hogwarts days. But it was good that Snape seemed to be moving on from that and is now not as hostile toward Harry as he once was.

* * *

**Harry**:

During the weekdays, our nightmare was a bit easier to endure because we had classes and homework to get done. But unfortunately, Saturday came and the horror of this situation engulfed us fully.

To make matters worse, it was reported in the _Daily Prophet_ and all over the Wireless Wizard Network that Friday that Voldemort was definitely the mastermind behind the floo-jackings and his motive was to demand that his arrested and jailed followers be released by mid-June...or our fellow students will die.

Even Quidditch practices had been suspended and if this crisis wasn't over in two weeks, the upcoming Ravenclaw/Slytherin game would be postponed. I woke up at around nine and realized that my dormmates were awake, but still lying in bed, aware of each other, but staring silently at the ceiling. Hedwig peered down at me sadly as if she sensed my distress.

I stroked her with a shaky hand. _Oh, Ron!_ _Oh Luna!_ I wailed mentally. If I lost them the way I lost Cedric and Sirius, I really didn't know what I'd do.

Willing myself to be strong enough to face another day of this horror, I got up and got dressed. Around me, several of my dormmates silently did the same. We'd been mostly quiet like this all week and it was eerie without the usual chatter and bantering that filled the dorms.

No one was hungry, so we just hung about in the common room, reading, doing homework and things like that. I'd just finished my Advanced Potions homework, when I heard a sucking sound and looked up to see Neville crying.

I went over and gave him a hug, whispering a few soothing things, my soft deep voice reverberating throughout the somber room. I guess it started with this, but several others started crying.

Ginny was clinging to Hermione and started weeping, which got Hermione started. Hermione clutched me with such a force that I dissolved into tears also and buried my face into her shoulder. I knew every Gryffindor was in tears by then and it made me cry harder.

Usually, I cry soundlessly, but now I could feel soft sobs ripping out of me painfully, stinging my throat and eyes. All around me, the crying grew more alarming. I think it frightened us; I know it frightened me.

I could feel my heart banging and I tried to look up, but my round, wire-rimmed glasses were a hopeless smear of tears, so I had to take them off and keep crying. I could hardly see anyway. Also, I think I was afraid to really look and see my dormmates' faces contorted in pain.

I felt my own face crumple painfully and Hermione and I clutched each other. As with Cedric, a howl fought to get out of me, but I kept it lodged in my throat for fear of what could happen if I let it out. I think eventually that howl escaped in a low windlike keen and it sounded so scary.

Hermione's sobs came in low wails and from across the room, someone almost screamed between sobs. I really don't know how long we wept like this, but some sense of urgency took over me and I had the feeling that we really needed to do something...just do something.

Mustering up whatever courage I could in my broken heart, I took shuddery breaths and began the herculean task of trying to stem my flowing tears.

It was a terrific struggle, but by mentally reciting the Gryffindor song of courage, I managed to get my weeping to a controllable level and wiped my glasses with one of the many tissues that now floated around the common room. I blew my nose and wiped my eyes and sat up, shakily putting my glasses on. Hermione kept crying and holding on to me.

"Everyone..." I blurted out shakily once I could see again. Some of my dormmates, including Ginny, started, but they slowly looked in my direction. Seeing that I had their attention, I had a surge of courage, albeit shaky, to go on. I cleared my throat and fought back a fresh wave of tears.

"Everyone, please, I think..." a painful catch squeezed at my throat. I fought it back and kept on as the others slowly wiped their eyes and looked over at me.

Hermione sat up and blew her nose, looking over at me too, her eyes still full of tears. "I...think we need to stop our tears for a while...this crying isn't helping our fellow students or us...we can't just sit here in a state of helpless weeping...we need to do something..." I looked around, fearfully wondering what exactly we could do in this condition we were all in.

"Wh-what can we d-do?" Neville wailed and started to cry again. Hermione handed him a tissue, fresh tears welling in her eyes.

I took several shuddery breaths, then plunged on. "Until we get..." I started, then felt my brows tighten and a stray tear trickle down my face. I silently commanded my wayward brows to relax and defiantly wiped away that willful tear.

"...definite news on them, we need to control our emotions for now and act. We have limited time and we can't afford to waste it with tears...once this is over, whatever comes...then we can..." I had to fight back a fresh wave of tears at the very thought of our friends and classmates not making it out of this alive.

It was just too dreadful to even contemplate, so I shoved that awful scenario out of my mind, lest I collapse emotionally again. "...let our tears flow...but not now...it's our classmates who need help more than us..."

It was a relief to see my dormmates muster up their courage and wipe away their tears and begin talking. We were still very much overwhelmed and the room was heavy with our recent flood of tears, but I could feel us Gryffindors beginning to get back on track with attempting to devise a plan that could save our classmates.

Bit by bit, the courage that we Gryffindors are famous for surged back as we pieced bits of a plan together. We summoned other members of the Young Order to our dorm to help us brainstorm a plan.

As the others came in, I noticed that several of them, including Padme, looked swollen-faced and troubled. I wasn't surprised, since some of their friends had also been floo-jacked, including Padme's twin sister. My heart went out to them.

"Oh, Merlin, this week has been a nightmare..." Cho wailed as she sat with us.

We moved to make room for all of us, including magicking over a few more chairs so they could sit. Once the entire Young Order was gathered, the others poured out their fears as well. Hermione put an arm around Padme and handed her some tissues. My heart squeezed for her.

So far none of the others had been able to devise a solid plan yet. But now that all of us are here, we should be able to, I thought, looking around. So all of us in Young Order magicked over our Y.A. stripes, applied them onto our robes and I called the emergency meeting to order.

It took a good part of the afternoon and evening and we tossed around, debated, and discarded many ideas and half-plans, but finally by mid-evening, we came up with a loose plan.

It was perilous plan and we'd have to break a few rules to do it, but if we could get the Order behind us, it could be workable. It would involved devising a special potion that could trace the floo powder path that could lead us to the whereabouts of our classmates and the death eaters who had them.

Our next task would be to get there. We still were working on a plan to rescue them and get them out of there and safely back to Hogwarts grounds without the death eaters trailing us by the time we went to sleep that night.

If we could just find a way to get there...maybe if we could have an Order member apparate with us since underage wizards and witches are forbidden to apparate without an adult. We were still rather heavy-hearted as we got ready for bed, but not as stricken with the helpless despair that had threatened to paralyze us earlier.


	4. Surging Back

**FlooJacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**4: Surging Back**

**Harry**:

Now that we'd come up with the start of plans, we could hold our heads up again. We were still in pain alternating with shock and the Gryffindor dorms were still muted. We talked some, a quiet low murmur of voices, but not the dreadful silence that had filled the dorms earlier.

Hermione and a Hufflepuff sixth-year, Susan Bones, gathered the necessary ingredients together to make the potion by Wednesday afternoon.

"I think we'd better hold off on bringing our intentions to the Main Order until we have the potion together and we're able to trace their path," Neville suggested that evening at our Young Order meeting.

"Good idea..." I nodded and the others chimed in their consent. If the Main Order knows we have a clear plan, they will be more likely to back us up and offer their input.

"First step is we need to get some article of clothing or something with some hair of the floo-jacked here and once we make the potion, we dip it in. The potion won't change in appearance, but the article will dissolve," Hermione told us. "If my theory I've read about is correct, we'll head over to Hogsmeade to the Three Broomsticks fireplace, gather some of the ashes there and bring it back and drop it into the potion. We'll then dip a parchment into it and it will display a picture of where our friends are."

Hermione looked around at us and we nodded. "If we're lucky..." she continued. "We'll be able to identify where it is...if we need to we can head to the library since there's a computer there that can name locations based on images magically loaded into it."

"God...it's dangerous; you all could..." Cho's eyes widened.

"It's a chance we're willing to take," I told them. "The alternative...if we did nothing and..." My voice broke and I couldn't go on; the thought of the alternative was just too unbearable to think about.

"We understand..." Susan Bones told me softly. We were grateful to be able to band together, several of us houses to work on our plan. Perhaps some Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws could catch any errors that could crop up if they didn't devise something in addition.

"So, Thursday evening at nine," Hermione told us. "Myrtle's bathroom."

We nodded. We'd put together the potion then. Susan, Hermione, and Cho were designated for that task. Then it would be Ginny and I who would sneak on over to Three Broomsticks to get the ashes and bring them back. The others would act as lookouts back in the common rooms.

"I'll get something..." I volunteered.

"Me too..." Lavender added. We dashed upstairs to the dormitories and Lavender grabbed something from the girls' side while I strode over and grabbed one of Ron's combs.

It had several of his bright red hair strands in it. Oh, please let this work! I begged silently as the hair glinted in the lamplight. I headed downstairs again.

* * *

**Hermione**:

"...I told my mum Hogwarts was protected," Susan finished as we blended the dragon's fire oils with the rest of the ingredients into the potion mix that Thursday night in the girls' bathroom.

"Me too..." I nodded.

"Almost there..." Cho leaned back as we finished the potion and watched it brew.

"Psssst..." the door opened and we looked up to see Ginny poke her head out from under Harry's invisibility cloak. "Hide...I think Filch is headed this way." So we did, turning out the light and diving under Harry's cloak and covering the small cauldron with it. We sat still for what felt like fifty hours until Filch just crooned a little, then went on by. Once we were sure he was gone, we slid out from under the cloak.

"Thanks, Gin..." I said, gesturing to the steaming cauldron. "I think we're done."

"Bloody brilliant," Ginny peered in and grinned, perhaps the first hint of a smile Gryffindor had seen in almost a week. The rest of us smiled softly too. We then got ready to head back.

Using a shrinking charm on the cauldron, I picked it up; we put on the invisibility cloak and started back. On the way, we met Dean. We enlarged the cloak and started up the stairs, trying to avoid the moving ones. We were near the dorm halls when we heard voices.

"Oh, shit..." I muttered, putting a finger to my lips. We stood stock still right in the middle of the steps as several teachers, two being Dumbledore and McGonagall and a few members we suspected were part of the Ministry passed by us. They seemed to be arguing.

"The aurors are searching by every means possible, magical and muggle," one Ministry member was saying. "We've even employed a magical map and high-powered aurors as well. Meanwhile, we will continue to guard the school."

"And trust you to not overstep your boundaries again?" McGonagall sniped.

"The Main Order is also working on this...we'll just have to join in the hunt and rescue effort, that's all there is to it," Madame Hooch was insisting.

"It would not be advisable..." another Ministry member put in. "You'd best stay here and look after the students, who I can see are enough to handle

"And let you handle the floo-jacking with the Ministry falling apart in addition to Minister Fudge being under investigation?" Professor Sprout barked. The voices moved out of earshot. Once they were gone, we dashed quietly up the stairs, jolting some when the stairs shifted.

"Shiiiiiiit..." all of us muttered.

We thought we saw something move under our stairs, but when I looked down, no one was there. We kept scampering until we reached the hallway, doubled around and headed to the Young Order room.

Once we got inside, we slumped against walls and on the floor by the fireplace, attempting to absorb the latest on Ministry happenings. Most of the others were there.

"We did it," Ginny told them. "The potion's made. The next plan is the Three Broomsticks mission." She and Harry looked at each other, knowing what their part was.

"About the next part..." Susan put in. "Notify the Main Order. Have them get us a portkey...some of them will need to join us."

"You three look as if you've something else on your minds," Harry pushed his glasses up on his nose and peered at us with his large serious eyes.

Harry's one of the most perceptive people I've ever known. I told him and the others about what we'd heard about Minister Fudge and the latest happenings in the Ministry. Harry nodded gravely.

"So, the fuckster's lies are catching up to him..."Ginny muttered.

* * *

**Harry**:

Friday was long...I mean. Long. That day's _Daily Prophet_ reported that yes, Fudge was under investigation for fraud, nepotism, and accepting bribes. Dumbledore also announced it at breakfast that morning.

It was tonight that Ginny and I had to sneak over to the Three Broomsticks. To make matters worse, Malfoy was particularly obnoxious today. Normally, he's obnoxious enough to begin with, but today he was..._horrid_, for lack of a better word.

In the corridors, he seemed to be peering at us suspiciously, his cold gray eyes calculating. Surely, he can't have been...no, the Young Order room is soundproof as well as secured.

Besides, the Main Order put a spell on it and we check it before every meeting so we'd know if a non-member's even _stepped_ in there. Trying to ignore his stare, I rushed off to class. Luckily, I only have one class a week with him this semester.

As I was coming into Potions class, I made the mistake of slipping by his desk. My mind was crammed with so many thoughts and I was on the cusp of a nervous attack when I tripped over none other than Malfoy's foot and went flat on my face with my books scattering.

"_Fuck_..." I hissed under my breath as I sat up, gathered my books and got back up, dusting my robe off. I heard snickering.

"My, my, my, Potter, looks like you need to have your filthy little mouth cleaned out," Malfoy sneered. I turned and I saw he foot retracting inward and jumped over and grabbed his foot and yanked it out. _Woooo_... several in our class jeered.

"My, my, my, Malfoy, you need to watch where that foot of yours goes before the next person you trip rams it down your throat into your stomach," I growled, then dropped his foot with a thud.

Malfoy had leaned backward, but now that I'd released his foot, he was taken off guard and he fell over backward, knocking his chair over. Several kids laughed while some gasped. Malfoy really burns me to no end!

"All right, Potter, you want a fight, you've got one," Malfoy snarled, getting to his feet and heading toward me menacingly.

I was at my seat by that time. Just then Snape came in and saw Malfoy heading my way and tapped his shoulder. Malfoy tried to ignore him.

"In your seat, Mr. Malfoy, or it's a hundred points off Slytherin!" Snape bellowed.

Malfoy froze, stared at Snape a long minute as the rest of the class fell silent. Then he headed to his seat, giving me one last glare over his shoulder. I'm so glad Snape now sees Malfoy for the rot that he is.

Snape peered at me a minute, then began class. He knows about the long-standing feud between Malfoy and me, so I guess he figured I was the one Malfoy had been going towards.

Snape then gave us an assignment, then asked a few questions. Malfoy had his hand raised at one point and when Snape called on him, Malfoy glared at me again.

"This is a bit off-topic, but you should know that before this class began, Mr. Potter was using the filthiest language ever used in this class, maybe this school," Malfoy started.

"Aaaand?" Snape peered at him as if he were a beetle on the floor. Malfoy's small gray eyes shrank and flashed with indignation.

"Well, I thought you should know why I was out of my seat. Potter was starting a fight with me and using these foul words on me..."

"Ohhh, quit lying, Malfoy," Hermione told him, rolling her eyes.

"Just butt out, Granger, all right?" Malfoy snapped.

"Not if you're saying things that aren't true, especially since you're the one that tripped Harry in the first place," Hermione barreled on. "If you're going to tell Professor Snape what happened, tell the entire story, not just your side of it."

"Thank you, but I don't need some _girl_ telling me what to do!" Malfoy sniped. I gasped at Malfoy's sexist comment.

"I think a person's gender is unimportant at a time like this!" Hermione bellowed back.

"Quiiiiet, both of you!" Snape put in. "And sit down or both of your houses will lose points and you will be forced to serve detention together." Hermione and Malfoy both quieted down and sat since I gathered that they did not want to have the bad luck of being forced to be in the same room any more than they had to.

"At this time, in this crisis, Mr. Malfoy, it is advisable to put aside petty issues like someone's language and concentrate on classes...especially since your work lately has hardly been exemplary and neither has your attitude." Snape glared at Malfoy.

"Sorry, sir..." Malfoy tried to put on a false repentant mask.

"Right you are sorry about how I know that you think of me as some fool who can't see through your charming act," Snape added. "Clearly, having a prominent family name isn't everything."

With that, he went on with asking questions, leaving Malfoy fuming, I could tell.

Snape did manage to shut Malfoy up for the class, but later on that day, I was with my friends between classes and Malfoy and Crabbe came skulking by us. I think they were hoping to overhear us, but we quickly put a silencing charm on. Malfoy lifted a lip at me and I clenched my fists.

"Potter, you will be sorry," he hissed. "I'll see to it that you pay heavily."

"Harry...it's not worth it," Hermione told me.

I tried to ignore Malfoy and stick close to my friends. I know my face was red, as it often is when I'm angry. I hate that Malfoy has that effect on me. On top of that, my scar was feeling sore now.

Bit by bit, we made it to the evening. We ate little and I got the feeling that it was the same with many of the others in the Young Order.

By ten that evening, Ginny and I were ready for our Three Broomsticks expedition. "Good luck..." the others told us where the Young Order was gathered in the Young Order room.

Ginny and I put on the invisibility cloak and headed out. We even made it past Filch without arousing his suspicion. His cat, Mrs. Norris, sniffed the air, but shrugged and went on down with Filch.

Ginny and I found the secret door that led to the underground passage, that in turn led to Hogsmeade. My hands started to shake, then my teeth began to rattle.

"Oh, boy..." I muttered. _Now's not the time to get an attack of nerves, Potter_, I told myself silently.

Ginny and I slowly made it to the trap door and opened it silently. It led into Honeydukes, which sells almost every sweet imaginable. It was almost empty now and we stole across the place stealthily until we reached the village streets.

I felt a slight sick feeling of fear in my stomach as I saw the shadows of dementors and aurors almost everywhere among the villagers. My teeth began to rattle again and I tried clenching my jaw to stop the noise.

Finally, I just squashed my tongue between my wayward teeth and hoped to Merlin that no one would hear my teeth clicking. I think I even bit my tongue at one point before we finally got to Three Broomsticks.

There were few customers there being so late, but just a few late night butterbeer and other drink sippers by the bar. We headed to the fireplace and using the small jars we had with us, we scooped up as many ashes as we could. My scar jolted and I had to stifle the urge to clutch at my forehead.

After what seemed like eternity, we finally got out of there, fled back to Honeydukes and made it back to Hogwarts. In one corridor, I thought I heard footfalls and swallowed. We have the invisibility cloak, I told myself.

Ginny and I stood still for a long minute. I turned ever so slightly and saw none other than Malfoy turning the corridor. Thank Merlin we had the cloak. He peered around as if looking for something. For us? I wondered fearfully.

Malfoy found Filch first however. "Why are you out of bed, blondie?" Filch hissed.

Malfoy looked taken aback a minute, then straightened himself, jutting his chin out at Filch. "I happen to be a school prefect and it's my duty to make sure no students are wandering these halls unauthorized." He thrust his chest out almost in Filch's face to show off his badge. Ginny and I pressed our lips together to keep from grinning as Filch glared back.

"Prefect, ehhhh?" Filch grunted. "Well, get back to your own corridors, you've no call to be meanderin' about the trophy hall...go on, get or it's a detention with me." Malfoy glared at him indignantly, but backed away. Filch watched him until he disappeared.

"Allll right, there'd better not be any more students skulking around here," Filch declared to the corridor, turning around in a circle, holding his lamp high.

Beside him, Mrs. Norris hissed and sniffed the air, then they slowly continued down the hall. Thank Merlin we were too far away for Mrs. Norris' nose to pick up our scent. Ginny and I continued soundlessly back to the Young Order room.

We were both sweaty and a bit shaky by the time we got back. Once I pulled the cloak off, my teeth rattled again full force.

"We have the ashes," Ginny told the others, who were gathered in the common room.

"Swell..." "Good..." the others put in.

"Harry, did you hurt your mouth?" Neville asked.

"No..." I then reached up and wiped blood off my lip corner. Neville handed me a tissue and I realized that it must have been from my shaky teeth banging into my tongue when I tried to stop my teeth from rattling.

"Are we ready?" Hermione asked. We all nodded. We had the potion here, so I poured the ashes into the potion, stirred it, then Hermione picked up the parchment and dipped it in.

It was a three-minute wait, but it seemed to last three years. Finally, she pulled the parchment out. On it was a small basement-like room.

As it formed more, it appeared to be a storage space. _Murdock Storage_, the side of the building said. One of the street signs I recognized at being several blocks from Privet Drive, which is a muggle area. _That's where the Dursleys live or_ _used to live_, I remembered.

"I used to know that place," I said out loud. When the others looked over at me, I explained that it was near Privet Drive near where my muggle aunt and uncle used to live.

"It's not surprising that they'd use a muggle space to hold our friends," I finished. The others nodded and all of us were deep in thought for a while. "Next is to notify the Main Order and go help our friends...they need us more than ever," I told the others. That's what we needed to do...we absolutely couldn't fail at this.

* * *

**Draco****:**

I just knew Potter and his cronies are up to no good. Filch, the filth of a groundskeeper, had turned me back to my own dorms, but I was gleeful that finally, I'd managed to catch that sneaky Potter and Weasel Two sneaking off grounds.

I'd followed them to Three Broomsticks, thinking maybe I could rush back and contact somebody from the Ministry via floo and have them go out there and investigate and maybe catch Potter in the act of sneaking around Hogsmeade after hours.

If that plan had gone well, then the Ministry would also not only snag Potter, but Dumbledore and McGonagall for being lax in their security of the students. But I'd been surprised when I'd peered into Three Broomsticks and hadn't seen them anywhere.

So I headed back to Hogwarts, hoping to catch Potter and Weasel Two sneaking through the secret passageway myself. I'd heard a faint rattling sound and some footsteps, but had seen them nowhere. It had been as if they'd vanished or apparated back to the dorms.

But now I had traces of evidence on them...they definitely were up to something suspicious if they were sneaking around Hogsmeade after hours at a time like this. With these new rules against leaving grounds, I'd get them somehow.

I entered my dorm and with a look, sent two second years scurrying off to bed, then climbed the stairs myself, undressed, and got into bed myself, grinning triumphantly.

I'd catch them, report them to the Ministry when they came around Hogwarts in their inspection. I'd be wearing my prefect badge, looking my responsible part concerned about Hogwart's well-being. The Ministry would be impressed, the sensible ones, that is.

Minister Fudge is pathetic, but he'll soon be replaced. The Ministry members would be so impressed with me that they'd report back to the new Minister and Parliament.

The senior Ministry would then descend on Hogwarts, order Dumbledore and McGonagall to be fired, replace them hopefully with saner, more competent Heads, then congratulate me on a job well done and order the Headmaster to appoint me Head Boy for next year.

Potter and his cronies would be expelled and shipped home in disgrace...or if not that, at least get into serious trouble and maybe Weasel One and Mudblood would lose their prefect posts.

I turned and thought up another idea...if I am to be Head Boy next year, I might as well start looking the part now.

The current Head Boy is a Ravenclaw. If I could find a way to borrow his badge secretly, I'd wear it when meeting with the Minister members, so they'd think I was Head Boy already. That would be grand...so grand.

Maybe I'd get a special award and either Dumbledore or whoever was Headmaster would have no choice but to give me the points I deserved and maybe put Slytherin on top for the house cup. The Slytherins would then be grateful to me and also pitch in on recommending me for Head Boy _and_ Quidditch Captain.

Potter and his cronies would be able to do nothing but fume in envy since for once, they wouldn't be getting the attention and glory. I'd then be on top of everything for year seven and graduate from Hogwarts in a blaze of glory.

How great it would be, I thought, drifting off to sleep, a smile on my face.


	5. Plans and Journeys

**FlooJacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**5: Plans and Journeys**

**Harry**:

I had a very fitful night full of bizarre dreams, some of them nightmares. I had one really bad one of coming into the Great Hall and finding dead bodies scattered all over. With a high-sounding little howl, I jolted awake. _1_:_35_, the clock on the wall read.

My stomach was tight, my scar was hurting, and my throat was dry, so I decided to head down for a cup of tea. Shakily, I got out of bed and slipped out of the dorms and down to the back passageway to the kitchens.

I saw a shadow, a tall one moving along the hall and froze. I peered at it and I could see blond hair..._Malfoy_, I thought. He was apparently headed somewhere.

I waited until he was out of sight, then continued to the kitchen and made my tea. I sat sipping it until I felt calmer. I thought my trip back upstairs would be peaceful, but my luck ran out and as I was headed back up, Malfoy came sliding up after me.

"So...Potter, on another busybody mission for your Gryffindor cronies?" he sneered.

"No, I just went for some tea, not that it's any of your business," I snapped back. I waited for him to continue on up, but he stopped and peered at me. "What...are you doing some skulk job for your yes-men?"

"None of your business either, Potter!" Malfoy glared. "Soo, are you still mooning over your disappeared friends? They're not coming back, you know. Voldemort and his allies have them and they are the ones in power. So, you might as well give up pining away for Weasel-face and the others."

"Oh, I'm not pining away," I said with more confidence than I actually felt. "Dumbledore and McGonagall will see to it that they come back alive." I started to stalk away, but Malfoy followed me.

"Don't you get it?" Malfoy laughed bitterly. "This is the downfall of the impure bloods! My father's right when he says the purebloods will rise again."

"Your father landed himself in jail with his "work", Malfoy…" I stated the obvious.

"He won't be there much longer once Voldemort has his say! They'll set things straight and straighten out of corruption in this world! And if you don't watch your back, you'll be next on their hit list, Pottle-four-eyes! For all we know, their hostages may be dead as I speak. A war is coming and many more will be wiped out before we're done. Think you'll have the so-called Gryffindor guts to be brave enough for Voldemort and his followers?"

"Get lost, Malfoy..." I barked.

"What the matter, can't face the truth, so you're running away?" Malfoy kept after me all the way up the stairs. "Wheeere's your couuurage this time?" he singsonged mockingly.

_Shut up, shut up and fuck off_, I thought, feeling the anger that always welled up inside of me around Malfoy. God, I can't stand that bastard! He just gloats over others' pain.

"I wonder how you're going to face You-Know-Who again since you've turned wimpier than ever," Malfoy jeered on stridently. "Don't think I haven't noticed how you've been afraid to go much anywhere alone since Cedric croaked..."

"Malfoy, will you shut up and get away from me!" I turned and narrowed my eyes.

"Suppose I don't?" Malfoy lifted a lip and stepped even closer.

"You've said enough..." I said this softly, but my voice trembled. "God, Malfoy, when was the last time you ever had any courtesy or feelings?"

I really didn't mean for that last sentence to come out, but somehow it did. I looked right into his pointy pale face with its even straight features and those cold mocking gray eyes and tried to make myself believe that those eyes had some depth in them.

I wondered how badly Lucius Malfoy had poisoned his soul; was it possible that Malfoy really had no conscience? Did he have any idea how he related to others?

"God, Potted Scarred Mess..." Malfoy laughed in a mocking snarl. "_Don't you haave any courtesy or feeelings_?" he mimicked. "How low are you getting now, to beg me to show my deeear feeeelings?"

"Just what do you expect out of this life?" I asked still quietly. "Do you really hope that your so-called purebloods will kill anyone who isn't a so-called pureblood and live happily ever after? Do you honestly harbor that delusion? Are you really as insane as Voldemort, who by the way, is not a so-called pureblood...his mum was a muggle...she died when he was young, so he never knew her well...he never had her love. If that's who you're aspiring to be like, I really feel sorry for you."

Malfoy just stared at me for the longest time. Although he quickly covered it up, I could tell that what I'd said had taken him off guard and even startled him a bit.

Finally, he just pulled his face into his usual sneer and spat out, "Hey, Potter, you're really not worth wasting my time getting into some deep psycho discussion on life's purposes...and God, I don't need the likes of _you_ feeling _sorry_ for me!"

He finally stalked off and left me alone. I let out my breath and continued to my dorm, shaking all over. I couldn't stop shivering as I crawled into bed, my teeth rattling, my heart pounding.

Thinking back now, I'd startled myself as well as Malfoy by my comments. I really did pity Malfoy; I knew, much as I detested him, he was one unhappy person. I didn't go back to sleep for the rest of the night and watched the blackness fade into a gray, then a pale blue of early morning.

* * *

**Luna**:

"If we get lucky, they won't find us up here," I whispered to the others. "They'll think we've escaped."

We hadn't, but we'd managed to find a trap door over the small storage-like facility we were being held and had managed to climb up onto the high beams. It was a tight squash, but we all fit. The death eaters were down below, having barged in and were peering around.

"Oh, hell, if they've escaped..." one of them muttered.

"How can they, the doors are triply-guarded and have security spells," Peter Pettigrew protested. "They're someplace around here, probably in some closet or behind those muggle shelves somewhere."

"If Lord Voldemort hears about this, he'll be on our necks, Wormtail," another death eater snarled. "You know how badly Voldemort wants to avenge the capture of several of his death eaters including Lucius Malfoy."

"He will," Peter nodded. "Just as I'd hoped to get Potter's arse. It's really too bad Potter wasn't with them; our Lord would have been pleased."

"Wormtail, can you think outside your tiny bubble of a brain to outside your little petty personal concerns?" another death eater I'd heard called Jaywode bellowed as they spread out over the room. "This is a matter of restoring order and morality to the wizard world. Decency being restored and purified..." His voice faded out as he headed out to a hallway.

"So, what's next now that we're up here?" Ron hissed once all of them had left the room, closing the door and locking it. We looked around, unsure of what to do next.

"It looks..." Parvati told us. "As if we're stuck here until we can find some hidden escape."

* * *

**Harry:**

I finished an essay I'd been working on by the end of that weekend. It was for History of Magic and part of it was to attempt to place our family or ancestors' roots in that history. I'd found out that many of my ancestors on both of my late parents' sides came from Ireland in the 1830's fleeing the Great Potato Famine.

I'd also learned that there had been a lot of bad luck such of poverty, depression, and suicide in both the Potter and the Evans trees. I'd found out by an old friend of Aunt Miranda's that my maternal grandfather had committed suicide and it had devastated my mum and grandmother. So much needless suffering of innocent people, I thought sadly.

_Dear Professor Binns_, I wrote.

_I must add this note to my essay explaining perhaps why some of my sentences end abruptly while others seem to meander in all directions. It's not intentional, but it's a subconscious reaction to some very painful things I've found out about my ancestors. _

_I am full of fear at this dark time, not only for my own sanity, but for Hogwarts and the rest of the London Magical Community as well. I do hope that you will not pity my ancestors or me, but there is a history of depression in my family and I've been suffering from it the past year and a half. I see a counselor and have made some progress, but I still have a way to go._

_It's never easy for me to discuss what is going on deep inside of me and for all of my life, I've sought and sought the answers as to why I often feel different from most others. Is it really a destiny for all of us? Or are our lives really haphazard? I am almost afraid of either answer._

_You say that we should seek and build our paths to our goals, but enjoy the journey there. I do have my goals…to graduate next year…to go to university…to become and auror, class B, the best one I can hope to be…to rid the world, both magical and possible muggle of injustice…to make the world a safer better place. _

_But the journey to my first goal hasn't been very enjoyable. I have had my happy moments here and there, but it's been interspersed with painful discoveries and my own emotional demons from events in my past that I find too hard to discuss ever._

_I do hope you can try to understand what I'm saying here. Few people truly understand many things I say and very few people really know me; I really don't know myself well at all and I don't know if I ever will. If you attempt to understand, thank you._

_Sincerely, Harry Potter_

I attached the note to the front page of my essay and waited until most of the others had filed out of Professor Binns' class turning in their essays. I then walked up and handed in my essay…with the letter. "Please…read the letter first," I whispered. "It says something telling…" I cleared my throat. "…about my essay. "I…hope you don't mind."

Professor Binns nodded and started to read it right there. I started to leave, but for some odd reason paused in the doorway as he read. I have this class right before lunch, so I don't have to rush to the next class just yet. He must be a fast reader because he looked up and sort of smiled.

"Tough year?" he asked softly. I nodded.

"I've heard about the prophecy and your role in it."

I nodded, feeling my throat tighten painfully. Oh, dear, I thought. The warning signs of tears were coming fast and I knew I'd better leave, get someplace private so I wouldn't start blubbering right there in front of Professor Binns.

"I wonder if…" I quavered. "…it's part of destiny…or just chance."

"Hard to say…" Professor Binns pondered. "Deep question…not surprising from you since you have always stuck me as unusually mature for your age." I nodded again. He then reached out and touched my hand. "Is there anything I can do? I know some of your friends are missing."

"Not really…" I got out in a keening voice before I made my escape and darted to the nearest bathroom.

It happened to be Moaning Myrtle's. I just hoped she wasn't loping about. I ran into a booth and sobbed softly, feeling the pain come fresh all over again.

Would my life's journeys every really be enjoyable? I wondered miserably. Did anyone have a really enjoyable road getting to his or her goals? I suspected some people really did.

But then I thought about some people who still seemed to be struggling along the road of this thing called life…Professor Snape, for one…he does seem less miserable this year and maybe it's because he got some of the pain in his life out.

Perhaps goals and things to reach for made painful journeys more endurable along with good friends. I know if I didn't have my friends or definite goals, I'd have given up long ago and probably wouldn't be alive now.

Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall seem further along and I think are more at peace with life. Maybe because they'd gone through more than any of us and had triumphed over whatever pain they'd had.

Wiping away my tears, I sat up and just hoped I could do the same…starting with carrying on with the rest of the Young Order in our rescue of our classmates. I slowly got up and washed my face in the sink, letting the cold water flow over my tear-streaked miserable-looking face. Whatever came, I'd press on with my journey.

Dumbledore called a meeting with the Young and Main Order mid-week. When my friends and I arrived in the meeting room, there were several Phoenix aurors with the Main Order.

Also, there were several others we didn't know. Professor McGonagall introduced them as Phoenix Ministry members, the part of the Ministry that is working to oust the corrupt members of the Senior Ministry. We made plans at this meeting to meet here tomorrow after classes let out, then using a Portkey, we'd apparate to Grimmauld Place.

Several of the Main Order, including most of the parents and guardians, would stay at Hogwarts and watch over the students. Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore would alternate between Hogwarts and Grimmauld Place, then on Friday, if all went all right, we'd move onto Murdock Storage while most of the Phoenix aurors and Ministry members would pounce on the other death eaters.

"It's a given that hell will break loose in other places once word gets out that the students have been freed," Mad Eye Moody put in. "We'll need our people every place we can."

"Your plan is a good one," Professor Tonks told us. "Time is running out and it will be risky, but we'll do it. Let's all now wish each other good luck and I'll see all of you here tomorrow."

* * *

_Battle reaches Ministry; Minister Fudge and several other Ministry members flee from office_, the _Daily Prophet_ told us the next morning at breakfast.

"Oh, dear…" I muttered fearfully. Looking around at my friends and our other classmates, I could see many worried expressions. Talking became louder and I could see Malfoy and his cronies smirking.

"I knew that stupid half-wit Minister would be out soon!" Malfoy crowed.

"They're going to need as many phoenix aurors and ministry there as quickly as possible," Ginny told us.

Hermione, Neville, Ginny, and I leaned close and read on. Sure enough, death eaters had stormed the Ministry and Phoenix aurors and ministry members had rushed over to keep them at bay. Fudge had been cited for removal from office early this morning for embezzlement, knowingly accepting bribes, and lying to Parliament.

He'd fled once he'd heard about the death eaters approach without warning the others. They were helping the remaining Ministry members escape, but it appeared to be an uphill battle. Already several on both sides had been either wounded or killed.

Professor Dumbledore _ning_ed his glass with a spoon.

"As most of you know, Fudge is now out of office," he announced. "The alternate Ministry members and aurors are attempting to put a makeshift Minister and officers in to keep the London magical community from falling into anarchy. Hogwarts is well-guarded as several of our aurors are guarding the school and we have our security spells in place."

Several professors, including myself, will be attending to matters at the Ministry and away from school in alternating schedules, but several of us will be here for you students. In addition, the Young Order students are excused from all classes for tomorrow for meeting and planning the next step of this war." With that, he sat and breakfast continued.

"Good luck at all of us…" Hermione muttered.

Across the Great Hall, I caught Malfoy staring in my direction, his slate gray eyes cold. Once I met eyes with him, he quirked his eyebrows in that arrogant twitch and twisted his lip into that all-too familiar sneer.

I attempted to keep my face expressionless, but I don't think I succeeded because I felt worry lines wrinkle my forehead. Glancing at Ginny and Hermione on either side of me, I could see their eyes were wide in worry.

* * *

**Harry****:**

By early the next evening all of us…the Main Order and the Young Order had gathered at Grimmauld Place. Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore alternated between Hogwarts and Grimmauld Place for a couple of hours, then finally Dumbledore stayed while McGonagall went back to Hogwarts to hold things down at school.

The Weasley parents hugged Hermione, Ginny, Neville and me as soon as they arrived. I felt their angst and wished that I could reassure them that their son would be all right. Molly and I looked at each other intently with our eyes a bit teary. But we bit back our tears…there would be time for them later.

"Gather 'round and let's eat, keep our spirits up!" Moody called.

Bit by bit, we straggled into the large circular kitchen and ate, even though most of us weren't hungry. I know I wasn't.

I could see that Fred and George weren't hungry either and they looked pale, unusually somber and withdrawn. I saw tears in Fred's eyes several times. Ginny must have seen them too because she reached out and touched Fred's hand at one point.

* * *

**Arabella****:**

It was good to see dear Harry again. The boy looked strained and dark circles ringed his eyes, but he also appeared composed. I've heard that Ron Weasley and Luna Lovegood are two of his good friends, so I was not at all surprised that Harry was deeply affected by this floo-jacking.

I remember how shocked I'd been to find out how awful those muggles he'd had to stay with truly are. His cousin had become ill when they encountered dementors last summer.

Harry had saved his cousin from them and since Harry is very thin and not very strong, I'd had to help Harry carry Dudley home. Instead of being grateful to poor Harry, Petunia and Vernon had launched into a tirade of abuse on the boy.

I was one of the Main Order members who'd watched the Dursley house that Harry grew up in for years. Because Harry never appeared with mysterious injuries or had any behavioral problems, none of us in the Order had any idea of what Harry was enduring in that house.

Harry has always been a quiet boy; I remember even when he was a little boy, he was so quiet. I'd enjoyed babysitting him then; he was never any trouble and was so mature beyond his age. It was almost as if he were a miniature adult.

Now I knew why…it was largely because the Dursleys are very immature and he's basically had to be the mini-adult in that dysfunctional house for ten years.

The Main and Young Order spent most of dinner planning for tomorrow. The Young Order shared their discovery of Murdock Storage with us along their part of the plan.

Passing around the parchments, we slowly nodded. This plan sounded solid. They'd obviously been doing a lot of preparation even in their despair.

It was an odd dinner…everyone spoke quietly, yet there was the clatter of plans. Looking around, I could see that many of the students looked either pale or had circles under their eyes. My heart went out to them; in many ways, this war has been so much harder on them than us adults.

If only I could hasten time and have this war be over and be able to reassure them that all would be well…but none of us could, so we had to make due with what we had and endure the next forty-eight or so hours.

* * *

**Snape****:**

We wound up splitting into various groups after our dinner and I found myself between Harry Potter and Professor Tonks. Lavender Brown and Neville were there also and we seated ourselves around a fire. As I listened to Professor Tonks talk about our plan and the Main Order's role, I subtly studied Harry's profile as Harry gazed into the fire.

How much like Lily he is, I thought. I hadn't realized this until this year. Up until last year, I'd thought he was a repeat of James Potter. Painful as it is to admit, James targeted me for bullying, which left me with many bitter memories of James and his clique, the Marauders. I'd foolishly assumed upon meeting Harry that he'd be just like James, arrogant and a bully. But I'd been proven wrong.

"…if they track us, we'll need auror backup…" Tonks finished. "One to get us out and two to get the floo jacked out without harm." Harry shuddered a bit and he looked at each of us, his heavy brows twitching.

Lavender reached out and held his hand a minute and he gave her a grateful look. I also found myself giving Harry a reassuring soft smile.

Harry's pain from depression had brought me face to face with my own painful youth…in his face and in Lily's face, I'd seen the same pain that I'd so often felt and had tried so hard to bury. It was Nymphadora Tonks who had verbalized it for me…for all three of us.

I had never known Lily very well; we had been in the same class mostly and just passed like two ships in the night…until the night she saved my life from a suicide attempt. I caught a glimpse into her quiet, serious soul then.

It had been very brief and we'd gone back to being casual passing ships again with me drifting at the edges of the Slytherin crony groups while Lily had retreated back to her friends…Alice Longbottom and Xiomara Hooch were her two closest friends, with occasional gatherings with Molly Weasley and another girl, Amelia whose last name I can't recall right now.

Reflecting on this group now, in some ways, they reminded me of Harry and his five close friends. If only Alice and Lily were here now, I thought sadly. They'd be so proud of their sons.

"Your mother saved me, Harry…" I blurted out.

Harry's thick eyebrows rose in surprise and he looked at me intently for a long minute.

"A large part of her lives on in you, you know…" I continued. "I was also depressed in my youth…Lily pulled me back from the brink…we were never close and never really knew each other well, but she saved me anyway…"

"I'm not really surprised…" Harry said softly. "…that she saved you…she always had a deep caring for others, even if she didn't know the person well. What I am surprised is that you know my emotional state for most of this year…"

"I sensed it…I pick up a lot that few others realize…" I told him.

Lily's son…the pine green eyes so solemn behind the thick glasses, gazed at me with the same expression Lily often wore in her youth.

"I also saw much of myself as I saw Mr. Malfoy bully you…my own past that I tried to keep hidden, came back unbidden."

Harry's eyes shadowed abruptly and he broke the gaze, his cheeks reddening.

"Harry…it would have come out sooner or later…you've no reason for guilty feelings now…" I gently touched his slender shoulder.

"I never meant…" Harry started, then looked up.

I once again smiled to reassure him that there were no more hard feelings between us and that I especially did not blame him for the unfortunate pensieve incident in his fifth year. Silently, we forgave each other for our past misunderstandings.

"In a way, Harry, you saved me also…" I whispered.

"Thank you…" Harry whispered back. "Not only for now, but for everything you've done…and have taught my friends and me over the years."

Harry peered over at Neville and Lavender and they slowly came over and patted Snape's hand.

Tonks smiled softly, watching our exchange. I knew it pleased her to see Harry and I reach this new beginning and to see me reach this breakthrough with all of my students.

* * *

**Molly****:**

I was so glad to have the Main Order here again. Arthur and I held hands often as we drank our tea. I could hardly bear to think of my beloved son in the hands of those death eaters going thru Merlin knows what.

"I feel as if time isn't going fast enough," I told the others, which included Arthur, Sybill Trelawney, and Mad-Eye Moody. We were silent for a long minute, lost in our thoughts and worries.

"Me either…" Sybill added. She peered into her teacup. "I also have gotten many mixed messages from the leaves and stars…they indicate that many will die, but cannot tell me just who…but one will die saving another…"

"I'd rather not find out just who…" I quavered, feeling tears hit close.

"Ahhh-hemmm…" Mad-Eye clinked his cup down. "Have you heard any news on Percy?" Mad-Eye inquired gently, peering at us. Arthur and I looked at each other and shook our heads in mutual despair.

We'd found out a few months ago that Percy had been spotted in a clandestine meeting with Pettigrew and Lestrange. Also, there was an incident at Hogwarts last November where Percy had been seen near the Great Forest during a Care Of Magical Creatures class, lurking about on his broom. Harry had been in that class and he and Hermione had seen Percy on the broom.

The students had been studying sentinel crows back then and Harry's had mysteriously turned into a serpent and nearly bit him. Harry had been so frightened he'd almost fainted and had fallen off his broom into the lake and Hagrid had had to levitate him out and bring him to the hospital wing. By then, Percy had disappeared.

"Our thoughts are with you both," Sybill reached out and touched our clasped hands, peering at us through her thick glasses. We nodded silently. It's so hard to imagine that one of our own could be responsible for part of this terror on the London magical community.

* * *

**Ginny****:**

Hermione, the Patil twins, Cho, and I sat in the near east guest room by the fire as we softly talked. We talked about our plan for tomorrow, but occasionally drifted to other topics.

"I do hope the death eaters don't get to Hogwarts," Cho told us. "Even with the security spells in place, it would be so scary for the students there."

"Yeah…" I put in and sipped her tea.

"Professor McGonagall's good at keeping everyone mostly calm in these situations," Hermione added. "And there are backup aurors and phoenix ministry members there also. I'm so glad Fudge is out of office."

Grimmauld Place was alive with activity and soft conversations in almost every room, but at the same time, it was quiet, quiet as air before a storm. Everything felt muted and unreal.

We heard a sound by the door and looked up to see Fred standing there. His face was splotchy red, telling us that he'd been crying.

"Come in…" I waved to him encouragingly. He did and sat with us. "Bad, isn't it?" I asked softly. Fred nodded, tears still in his eyes. I put a hand on his arm. There were no words to express our pain over our endangered brother.

Ron, bubbly and dramatic as he is, has been in many ways the rock of our family and had always, in his own way looked out for all of us. He also kept us going with his dramatic flourish and his sense of humor. It's just too unbearable for any of us to think of having to live without that.

* * *

**Lupin****:**

Arabella continued on the tale of last summer and what had happened with the dementors. "…and I was thinking, _What the fuck_…? Harry was clutching his cousin for dear life and shaking like a leaf. I helped him carry Dudley over to the house on Privet Drive. Those parents of Dudley's…you'd think they'd be grateful, since Harry not only risked his own life, but his standing at Hogwarts and the wrath of the Ministry."

But they weren't, the fools. Vernon launched into an awful tirade of abuse on the poor boy…and Petunia just hung back and kept widening her eyes and acting like Harry was some creature from the black swamp. Poor boy…no wonder Harry's been so down for most of this year. I'm glad to know that he's away from those awful people and back home with us in our world. It's good to see Miranda back with us again also."

"That is very much like Lily and Petunia of long ago…" Rose Longbottom, Neville's gran and Frank Longbottom's mum put in.

"What…?" We all turned toward her.

"Long ago…when Alice and Lily were students…" Rose stirred her tea and took a sip. "Alice and Xiomara were spending the night at the Evans shortly before their fourth year began…the three of them had gone to get their supplies and had come back home…they had unloaded their things upstairs and were in the basement studying a spell or some sort. Xiomara and Alice were checking something in an adjacent room.

"Lily's parents had gone out for a spell. Petunia, who sounds like she hasn't changed a bit from what you're describing, Arabella, came charging down the stairs, screaming something dreadful at Lily…I don't know what all, but it was hideous."

Lily tried to defend herself; Alice and Xiomara tried to pull Petunia off, but Petunia nearly pummeled the poor girl senseless…much the same way I suspect that Dudley pounded Harry…Alice told me that the entire house suddenly turned cold and dark and the dementors appeared surrounding the basement. Petunia shrank back and nearly went mad, but Lily saved her from them using the spell the students all learn in their third year."

"So that explains Petunia's wild-eyed look when I took Harry and Dudley to the house…" Arabella nodded. "Petunia's thick head does remember those horrid creatures.

"No one forgets them…" Rose told us. "But back then just like last summer, Petunia wasn't one whit grateful and tried to blame Lily and claim that she brought them on…fortunately, their parents had more sense than her and didn't buy Petunia's story."

"That was the year Riddle experimented with the dementors hoping he could get them under his control," I put in. "He could then use them to terrorize both muggle and magical communities…that same academic year was the massacre at the Village Tea and Riddle made his power known widely."

"The magical world sure did change that year…" Arabella twirled her spoon around her saucer. "So many young people in danger…"

Dumbledore sighed. "I never should have left Harry with the Dursleys…if only we'd planned better, none of this would have happened and Harry would have been spared so much pain at too young an age. Last summer, I was burdened with tremendous guilt and was listless for a week. It was Professor Tonks who jolted me to life again with new plans for exposing the corruption in the Ministry and forming the Young Order and capturing the death eaters."

"Let's hope this last leg of our plan works," I put in.

None of us had realized what Harry has been through and probably we never will fully realize the extent of what Harry endured, especially since Harry is a very reserved, reticent boy.

"Let's hope our students of the future won't have to endure what Alice, Harry, Neville, Frank, and many others have during this entire mad time. Then this madness in our community can begin to end once and for all," I added.

All of us nodded silently in agreement.

* * *

**Harry****:**

It was around midnight when we drifted to bed in groups. We'd need to be up early tomorrow to put our plan in action. It had been a long, strange, yet interesting evening.

Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and I fell into cots in one bedroom. All around us, we could hear others brushing teeth, falling into beds, cots, sleeping sacks and couches.

Several Main Order members poked their heads in to tell us goodnight, including the Weasleys, Tonks, Dumbledore, and Snape. Then we were on our own, laying silently in our cots, thoughts tumbling through all of our heads.

"Harry…?" Neville's voice floated over.

"Yeah…" I mumbled.

"Do you ever think about our mums back at Hogwarts…what their friendship must have been like?" Neville asked.

"Sometimes…" I admitted. Neville rarely talks about his parents. "I wonder if they played Exploding Snap and things of that sort. I've heard that they and Madame Hooch went through many of the same experiences we did growing up."

I'd been happy to learn through the grapevine that Madame Hooch had also been a good friend of both of our mums.

Madame Hooch taught us in our first year to fly and she coaches Quidditch and is very busy, so neither Neville nor I have had a real chance to sit down with her and talk about our mums and all. I suppose one day we will…hopefully before we graduate.

"That also explains why she is especially affected by this…" I cleared my throat. "Floo-jacking…"

"Why…?" Neville turned.

"Perhaps knowing that you and I are friends…" I went on. "Our mums were friends much like you and I…with Ron and Luna being our friends also…perhaps since she's lost two of her dear friends and seeing this perhaps brings back painful reminders for her…Oh, Merlin…"

"I always suspected that our group is much like our mums and Madame Hooch's group was…" Neville added thoughtfully.

"Molly has mentioned that she and another girl, Amelia sometimes hung about with them also," I added. "I can't remember Amelia's last name at the moment, but I think Amelia was about a year or so ahead of our mums…sort of like our group grew as we got older."

"So, you both started off as the trio…" Neville concluded.

"Hmmm…?" I was a bit puzzled, but then it fell into place. Oh.

"In your first few years, you, Ron, and Hermione were the trio…just like our mums and Xiomara had been a trio their first few years…then both groups expanded over the years."

"Hey, you're right…" I whispered. "I just hope…all of us can get through this safely…"

"Me too…" Neville's voice grew sleepy and I knew he was drifting off.

I could feel the thickness of our thoughts in the dark air, the thoughts of not only Neville and me, but also all of us…the entire Main and Young Order.

I just hoped time had made all of us stronger than we'd been in the past. A tinge of fear spreading over me, I nodded off into an uneasy sleep, sinking into dreams about Mum and Alice Longbottom and Madame Hooch as youths, then their worlds being shattered by the madness that still haunted us today.

If only I could be sure our Order could end this cycle of madness before it splinters more innocent lives.


	6. On A Wand's End

The usual disclaimers that none of the HP characters are mine...the climax is here...a battle and then some...enjoy!

**FlooJacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**6: On a Wand's End**

**Hermione**:

A knock on the door early the next morning awakened us and revealed Madame Hooch along with Arabella Figg. Quickly and quietly, all of us got up, dressed, had a quick breakfast and gathered around the front door. Professor Lupin and Madame Hooch took silent attendance to make sure everyone was here and ready to go.

"Here, take this, all of you..." Lupin told us, handing each of us a small boxlike object.

"What's this..." Ginny wondered.

"A summoner," Lupin explained. "Tap this blue area here and it summons everyone within twenty feet who also have summoners...it'll be useful for this mission, should we get separated."

With some last minute instructions and plans, we then went. We used three different objects as portkeys in three groups and had promised to stay with an adult as much as possible.

I was with Harry and we whispered, "Good luck..." as we faded out of the hill at the back of the woods near Grimmauld Place...to an empty street with a row of houses and buildings. The sun was rising in the sky now. We'd all dressed in muggle clothing so we hoped to be inconspicuous.

"Is everyone here?" Hagrid called.

"Yes..." we all nodded.

"It's a bit...strange being back on a muggle street..." Harry whispered to me as we headed toward Murdock storage, our wands hidden within various pockets, muggle jackets and bags.

"Quietly..." Madame Hooch whispered.

There was a row of buildings that had appeared on the parchment. A cloud of soft fear drifted over us as we realized how vulnerable we were at this minute. Beside me, I could hear Harry swallow as we crept low the maze of buildings.

There didn't seem to be any activity outside, but Merlin knew what was inside any of the buildings. I held a copy of the parchment with the buildings and we had an idea that it was near the back of the maze.

"It's here…" Harry spoke softly. Waving the rest of us over, he pointed silently toward the second to last building.

"How…?" I started to ask, then remembered how much Harry has accomplished this year as a ligilimens.

"I sense it…" Harry whispered, staring that the building, his eyes appearing wide and fearful. He drew a bit closer. His hand slowly went up to his scar as he frowned.

"Do you think Voldemort is in there?" I asked.

Harry thought a minute, tilting his head toward the building as if he were trying to "feel" who or what was inside. "No…but the place has spells and is heavily guarded by death eaters…they've stepped away at the moment, but the spells are there…and I think this is where are classmates are being held." Harry rubbed at his scar, attempting to ease the dull pain that I could see was there.

"Let's do it…" Lupin told us. "First we need to undo the spells."

We slowly surrounded the building in groups. Hagrid slowly climbed a high tree in back of the building so he could get a view of the ceiling.

"I wish that invisibility cloak could stretch to all of us..." Harry whispered beside me as we stooped under a short staircase.

"Yeah..." I nodded. "There's a window..." We sneaked on over and peered in through the cloudy glass. It was a large storage space, but there didn't seem to be anyone there.

"Oh, God...I hope they hav..." Harry swallowed again, this time mid-word. We clutched each other a minute, shaking.

"There're other rooms; it's a big building," I whispered, trying to reassure myself as well as Harry. Then I saw a movement along one side. "Shhh...there's somebody..." I pointed, then we caved back, so whoever it was didn't see us, should it be a death eater.

We then slowly pulled out our wands, pointing them toward the windows. The person moved again and we gasped as we recognized Padme, Ernie Macmillan, and Luna. They seemed to be talking among themselves and looking around. A dim light was on and they seemed to be maybe looking for an escape. I quickly pulled out my summoner and contacted the others in our group. They came quickly and we were all outside the window.

"We haven't seen any death eaters," Ginny told us. We then made a quick plan for a few teachers to remain outside and climb the trees and peer into the window and summon for backup aurors if they saw or heard trouble inside.

We crept back to a narrow door around back. "Stand back, everyone..." Hooch told us. She held out her wand and said strongly, "Lacurum splitalo..." The door split in half and came apart on one side. We ran forward and one by one, squashed through. Hagrid was last and since he was so big, Hooch used her wand to undo the hinges and pull the door off, so Hagrid could come in.

The first spell we hit appeared to be a huge gate. I remembered the unlocking spell for it, which was a more advanced version of the alomora spell, so I employed it and the gate slid to one side and seemed to sink into the wall.

Walking down a narrow dark hallway, we next encountered bright flames. We conferenced briefly. Ginny remembered a spell she'd seen used to deduct heat from flames; Snape then suggested that he could magic a common mineral from ordinary rocks, charm it to turn the cooler gases into solids, then throw it over the flames, then all of us could knock it down to clear a path.

"But how will we know it'll be breakable?" Susan asked.

"The mineral can turn it into a thin glass…" Snape told us. "You all will have to use caution, however to not get cut." Snape pulled a small bag out of his pocket, then whispered the magicking spell and several rocks appeared and plocked into his bag. Chanting the separating spell, he weeded out the mineral he needed.

Meanwhile, Ginny chanted to spell and the flames seemed to slow down and the heat faded some.

"We'll see if this powder is worth the hours of research I put into it…" Snape muttered, then adding his spell, he tossed it over the flames. The flames sputtered, then froze into a sparkling glass.

"We'd better close our eyes…" Harry warned us as we started to kick over the glass and punch it in. The glass splinted and flew and we groped our way through, keeping our eyes closed to protect them. Other than a few arm and leg scratched, we got through and to the other side.

The hallway continued until we reached a door. In front of the door near the edges were large spidery-looking yellow flowers. They appeared still at first, but when we approached, they seemed to rise, turn toward us and hiss.

"Webweed…" Neville told us softly. "Their scent can cause us to faint…" he fumbled around in the small bag he had with him and pulled out a bottle. "I brought this just in case there were dangerous plants…" Chanting a spell, he sprayed the webweed until the webweed fell silent and drooped. "This will silence it for an hour or so."

"Good thinking…" I told him as we opened the door and came through. He's really become an Herbology whiz, especially this year. We headed down a short flight of stairs into a darkened basement and finally, finally heard familiar voices…those of our classmates.

"Ron...Luna..." Harry, Ginny, Neville, and I called. The others also called for their friends.

"Over here..." a few voices called and we rushed down the rest of the staircase into the big storage room and yes...there they were. Our friends.

"Ron...Luna!" I bellowed, running over and hugging them. Harry joined me and so did Ginny. I had to wipe away tears at seeing Luna and Ron unharmed. Near me, the Patil twins were hugging, tears streaming down their faces.

"We have to go..." Ron told us. "They could be back any minute..." As if Ron's words were a jinx, flashes lit up around us and in about two seconds, we were surrounded by a horde of death eaters.

"Oh, stars of shit..." I whispered in terror as I recognized Wormtail and Bellatrix among them.

"So..." Bellatrix said in a low vicious voice. "We have more for our little gathering, have we?"

"Yes…the more the merrier…" another voice added and our eyes widened in horror to see who the voice belonged to as he pulled down his hood.

"Percy…" Harry gasped, his legs shaking and seeming to buckle beneath him. Thank Merlin he didn't faint, but now it was confirmed about Percy.

* * *

**Malfoy**:

"...so, Potter comes at me with some stupid question about what do I want in this life, as if we're some pansy philosophers who waste their time pondering over this deep life meaning since they have no life," I finished telling Crabbe and Goyle that afternoon in the Slytherin Common Room. They were laughing their heads off at Potter's idiocy and I laughed too just thinking about that pathetic little worm.

I really wish I could just crush his soul to nothing. He gets worse by the year and I'm really sick of seeing his ugly face and watching him curry favor with the teachers here and butter up others in that sickeningly polite little way he has. Ever since the floo-jacking deal started, almost everyone else has been acting like they're at a funeral.

"I heard the Gryffindors even had a cry-fest one night in their common room," Crabbe volunteered.

"Really?" I smirked. "Was Potter in on it?"

"Don't know..." Crabbe drawled. Shame I didn't see it if he were; how I'd love to see Potter in tears. Might as well be their funeral, I thought. Especially since those floo-jacked will probably be dead soon.

"Well, I really can't wait until this is over," I declared. "This is ridiculous that Dumbledore isn't letting us off grounds. We can't even go to Hogsmeade! If the death eaters are going to kill them, they should do it already. Then they can have their little funeral and then things can get back to normal around here."

"The Gryffindors have been the worst," Goyle put in. "Moping around and acting like it's the end of the world. The other day, Potter was answering some question and the whole time, his brows were like this..." He demonstrated. "Pointed upward at the bridge of his nose, worse on his right brow. And of course, the Withered Stick Insect gives Potter her sympathetic look." The _Withered Stick Insect_ is my personal nickname for McGonagall, who favors Harry and his Gryffindor cronies.

"Face it, this faculty is the pits," I stated. "I thought Snape was decent, but he turned out to be a rot too. Maybe once the hostages are dead, we'll see some change around here. It's getting boring just sitting around here, so let's go play some Quidditch."

With that, we headed out. I'm the Slytherin Seeker. Crabbe and Goyle aren't on the team, but often play Quidditch with me informally when none of my other Slytherin teammates are around. Now with everyone cooped up inside and moping around, we had the field to ourselves.

It was late that afternoon after we'd played a few rounds that I saw the official-looking people heading into Hogwarts. "Look there..." I pointed. The others peered over.

"So, there's those aurors and rubbish all over Hogwarts since this saga started," Goyle shrugged.

"Not aurors, idiot..." I snapped. "Ministry members! Lucky Merlin I have my prefect badge with me and learned how to charm it to resemble something close to a Head badge. They'll think I'm Head Boy and listen to me." I told the others and started to dart off the field. Crabbe and Goyle looked at me stupidly for a minute.

"Where are you going..." Goyle asked one of the stupidest questions in wizard history.

"To inform these people of what's being going on around here!" I told his thick skull." Remember the other night I told you that I thought I saw Potter and Weasel Two sneaking out to Hogsmeade? Not to mention what this Order of the Phoenix has been up to."

I ran on, Crabbe and Goyle following behind. Wouldn't that be just great, if Potter and his cronies got into real trouble for a change! He could be expelled and so would be his downfall...right before his seventh year too.

"But isn't Fudge out of office?" Goyle topped his stupid question with even a stupider one to break his own record of idiocy.

"I know that, but the parliament members and other Ministry members aren't." I stated in the vain last hope of getting even a dent in that hard head of his. "When I tell them, they'll report back to the new Minister, who'll then order them to be expelled and fire Dumbledore and McGonagall, not to mention most of those jerks in power here."

I didn't stop until I reached the Ministry officials, who were headed down the hallway toward Dumbledore and McGonagall's offices.

"Sirs!" I called, trying to keep the note of triumph out of my voice. I pasted on a concerned look on my face and looked over at their important, serious faces as they stopped talking with each other and turned.

I then pulled out my badge, which I'd charmed to look like a Head Boy's. "I am Draco Malfoy, Head Boy of Hogwarts," I told them importantly with what I hoped was a look of serious concern.

"Sir…?" One of them raised an eyebrow and peered at me. I was glad that I was taller than three out of five of them.

"You are members of the Ministry, is that correct?" I asked.

"Yes…" One of them nodded and they looked at each other, then back at me.

"The teachers here are wreaking havoc again…" Crabbe started to announce, but I glared at him and elbowed him in the stomach to shut him up. If he blabbed it out, he'd get it all wrong and they wouldn't believe us. I also quickly glared at Goyle so he wouldn't open his hole and say something stupid to ruin our plan.

I then turned back to the Ministry officials and continued. "You work for Mr. Fudge and are loyal to him, is that right?" One of them shrugged, but the others nodded.

"None of us are in the renegade group we've heard about who has split from the Main Ministry, if that's what you're asking us," Another one told me. Good, then none of them were on the Order's side.

"Good…then I wanted to let you know that several students and teachers here have taken unnecessary liberties and are acting out on their own in an attempt to rescue the floo-jacked students." I went on. "I'm sure they mean well and they along with the rest of us are very worried about our missing classmates."

I pasted on what I hoped was a serious, somber, concerned face. "But their acting on their own without approval from the authorities could not only put Hogwarts at great risk, but endanger the Ministry's plan for the rescue of the floo-jacked, resulting in many unnecessary tragic deaths. Although Mr. Fudge is no longer in power, I am sure you would do well to notify the temporary Senior Ministry, who can act to prevent disaster."

And the makeshift Ministry can pass the word on to the new Minister who takes over eventually and this new Minister will give most of these lame excuses for teachers and Heads as well and that entire Order the boot and possible even some prison time, I thought to myself.

The Ministry officials looked at us for a minute, then at each other. A couple of them muttered comments I couldn't quite understand.

"Thank you, Mr…" One of them patted my shoulder. She seemed to forget my name.

"Malfoy…" I stifled my flicker of annoyance at the woman. "Draco Malfoy." If they're not thick enough to forget my name, the Ministry will remember me as the one who blew the whistle on the Order and turned Hogwarts around.

"We'll look into the matter," another one told me. "Right now, we are on our way to meet with Professor McGonagall and we'll see what she says."

"But…she's in on this corruption too!" I exclaimed, taken aback. "She'll just deny it and probably blame the three of us as troublemakers!"

"I see…" she nodded. "We will be discreet in any questioning then. Good day." They walked onward down the hall. Once they were out of sight, I turned to my friends.

"Good. This time they'll pay." I told them as we walked back out to play more Quidditch. "Potter will be so sorry he ever came to Hogwarts and crossed me."

* * *

**Harry**:

"Ron, Ron, Ron…" Percy purred. "Didn't I warn you in my letter last year…Harry is a dangerous person to be around. But I can see you didn't listen to me, so you along with Potter will pay for your impudence."

"We'll see about that…" Ron muttered, glaring at Percy, but I could see he was trembling slightly.

We all trembled, but pulled out our wands as the death eaters surrounded us. I could hear my heart banging in terror and felt a bit light-headed. My scar was killing me, but I willed myself not to clutch my forehead and hoped the pain didn't show in my face.

"Let meee guess..." Bellatrix grinned maliciously. "You wanted to rescue your friends, didn't you?" He's right, I thought fearfully. "Looks like your little plan backfired. Ohhh, I've been helping the Dark Lord plan this for a very long time. The floo incidents earlier this year were our practice for the real thing. See, Voldemort has been planning the perfect revenge, but I'm the one executing this floo-jacking. Lord Voldemort developed the miscoding spell for the floo fireplaces, then had me plan the places and when this would occur. Wormtail put the cursed floo in the fireplaces so the daily floo would malfunction and send many of you...here."

_We're trapped here_, I realized with a hard swallow. Bellatrix saw me and met my eyes and grinned that same malicious grin she'd grinned last year at the Department of Mysteries when she'd killed my beloved godfather. I shuddered as fear and revulsion skittered through me like rats inside a wall.

"Nooo, you're not going to run this time," Wormtail cackled and I shuddered. Frightened whispers rippled through the group and we realized we only had one choice. Fight to the death.

"We'll have the pleasure of seeing all of you dieeee..." another death eater crooned and what followed were our wands going back and forth in a frenzied battle. I had to fight to keep back a gasp of horror as several of us fell. I hoped they were unconscious and not dead. Several of us were thrown back, but so were several of the death eaters.

"I think the ones outside have gone for help!" Hermione bellowed.

"Where..." I hope Hermione was all right.

"They apparated back..."

Then we were both tossed by a powerful spell across the room and slumped against the wall. I had to struggle to keep consciousness and stand again. I don't know how long we battled, but it seemed like years before a wall caved in.

We had to struggle to keep the fight contained, so it wouldn't spread to any of the houses and endanger any local muggles. I gasped in horror as both Hagrid and Madame Hooch went down next to each other. _No_..._no_! I thought.

"Ohhh, God!" Ron wailed. I felt my stomach turn over, but tried not to focus on the injured just yet and with my friends, concentrated on attempting to disable as many death eaters as possible until help came.

It seemed hours, but it was probably just a half hour. The storage building we'd been in was totally destroyed by the spells and we found ourselves outside. Another building collapsed and revealed a tall jetty of rocks with water rushing over them.

"Got him…" Ginny muttered as she downed Wormtail and bound him. Hermione managed to bat Bellatrix's wand away, then hang her upside down from a high piece of wall, then bind her.

Ron hexed several death eaters to be glued together in one huge clump, then bound them up.

Percy was still going and with a sudden motion was in front of me. We glared at each other, our wands drawn, each one daring the other to strike first. I fought to keep my fear from showing at the cold look in Percy's eyes.

"Shame you never stayed out of our family, Potter," Percy hissed. "So because of you, the Weasley name has been dragged through the mud…the rest of the family's too blind to see it, but I see you for what you are, Potter…a traitor and a troublemaking liar."

"You're the traitor, Percilleville Weasley," I told him evenly, fighting to keep the tremor out of my voice. "Molly and Arthur loved you and raised you decently…how do you pay them back but to betray them and facilitate the kidnapping of your own brother." As we spoke, I was backing up and Percy was advancing.

I feared we were getting dangerously close to the rocky area and I'd fall. One glance back was all Percy needed and in a split second he raised his wand and chanted, "Avera Kedevra…" but his words were nearly drowned out by another spell spoken and Ginny was suddenly there, pointing her wand. I felt the jolt and everything went black.

* * *

**Ginny**:

I hoped my spell had weakened Percy's killing curse and that Harry had only been knocked unconscious. Then it was Percy and I standing face to face, our wands poised at each other.

"So, little sister, come to your crushes' rescue, ehhh?" Percy sneered.

"I come to protect all of my friends as well as even not friends from the likes of you," I retorted.

Just as Percy and I blocked each other's spells, I was aware of more activity. There seemed to be more people rushing at us as it grew dark. But I didn't let it break my concentration. I had to find a way to disable or stun Percy…but our spells acted as magnets and blocked each other. We seemed to be in a deadlock.

"You and your brothers and parents…" Percy went on. "One of a kind…I was wise to break away from your sorry excuse of a family…all of you did nothing but try to drag me down…I tried to bring some respect and decency to our name…to rise all of you out of the trash we all had to live in…but your parents wouldn't have it…I had to grow up with tattered robes and put up with rude comments from the rich kids…I complained to all of you, but none of you cared…the twins carried on with their little pranks and brought even more embarrassment to the family name…then what with you and Ronald latching onto a troublemaker like Potter…"

"If anyone brought down our family, it was your actions, Percy," I told the man whom I'd once looked up to as an older brother. "In doing so, you've also lowered yourself to the Malfoys' low level."

Once again we deadlocked for the longest time. Just then someone rushed behind Percy and cast the binding spell. Lupin.

The next few seconds were a long blur, but from what I was able to gather later, it appeared that Lupin had bound Percy, but in the process, Percy turned the killing curse on him, but they were still bound together and tumbled over the jetty and landed into the water.

I looked up and almost collapsed with relief to see a horde of aurors along with Professor McGonagall. The aurors worked triple-time to stun all the death eaters.

A few death eaters managed to escape, but most of them were rounded up. Slowly, the aurors managed to get the stunned ones transported to the Ministry authorities. Out of a fog, I saw Wormtail being portkeyed away.

I waved some of the aurors over and called their attention to Lupin and Percy over the rocks, then leaned over and checked on Harry. I was relieved to find that he was not dead, but only unconscious.

We students more or less fell anywhere on the grass, exhausted and still very shaken by the day's events. McGonagall then went around us, asked who was all right and who wasn't.

My friends found Harry and me and we gathered around as I reassured the others that Harry was still alive. McGonagall then contacted Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey by then, telling them that several stretchers were needed as she felt for Harry's pulse.

"Are you all right?" she asked us. We all nodded silently.

"Thanks, Professor McGonagall," we all told her simultaneously.

"They've been taken away," An auror come up then. "The apparating spell is still disabled, so we'll have to portkey it back the way we did here." He held up several old cans, ripped jumpers, and a couple of pens.

"Take the injured ones first," I told them.

"We will," a second auror added coming up with several cups. She held one out to McGonagall. "Hold on to the unconscious..."

We stepped back and let McGonagall transport Harry and the other injured students and teachers back to the hospital wing. The aurors then transported with the rest of us in groups.

* * *

**Ron**:

It was amazing how different, yet the same Hogwarts looked once we returned. And it was only nine in the evening when I'd thought that it was later.

I had a broken wrist and bruised ribs while Hermione had whiplash, so we were headed to the hospital wing to be treated along with several other mildly injured students. Once we were treated, we looked over at the still-unconscious.

Among them were Madame Hooch, Professor Trelawney, and Hagrid. Also Harry was still out. We walked over and talked to him softly, hoping he could hear us.

Many other students were there, visiting friends. There were tears also and my own eyes filled up seeing Harry so still and rather small-looking. Pomfrey had reassured us that he'd be all right, but it was scary seeing him so...inert.

"Lupin..." I whispered fearfully, looking around.

"I'm afraid it's bad news," McGonagall whispered. "Lupin died an hour ago"

All of us gasped and sank into a stunned silence for a very long time, tears forming in our eyes. McGonagall patted our shoulders softly and went on to comfort other students.

As we looked around in a daze, we heard snatches or news from around the hospital wing, hearing that death eaters had attacked many other areas of the London magical areas and the Phoenix and other Order members had battled them courageously.

I knew Dumbledore would announce today's events at the feast tomorrow and hoped Harry would be conscious by then, even though I was sorry he'd have to get the news about Lupin upon awakening.


	7. The Bad and the Good News

The aftermath...who lives, who dies...who wakes up...more drama with Malfoy and all...the usual disclaimers that none of the Harry Potter characters and places are mine at all...I so wish darling Harry was...

**FlooJacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**7: The Bad and Good News**

**Ginny**:

Many parents had come rushing to Hogwarts to comfort and make sure their kids were all right, including Mum and Dad, Hermione's parents and Luna's dad. Harry's great-aunt Miranda was on the way.

The day after the rescue was a hazy confusion of crying, hugs, and dazed milling around. Harry, Madame Hooch, Hagrid, and Professor Trelawney still remained unconscious and in the hospital wing.

"The death eaters responsible have been all caught, including Mr. Pettigrew and Mr. Larane and Ms. Lestrange," Dumbledore announced at breakfast the next morning. "However, there are still a few of the true masterminds of the plot loose and they will be investigated. Unfortunately, Voldemort is also still loose.

"And the sad news...Mr. Remus Lupin died as a result of a death eater's curse last night. May his bravery and courage be always remembered and he will be missed greatly. In addition, another member of the Main Order perished in battle in a muggle area yesterday…May Arabella Figg's bravery as she protected a muggle neighborhood from death eaters always be remembered as well."

Several students dissolved into tears and I felt my own eyes well up and Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, and I held hands.

Classes, of course were cancelled for the next few days. The following Monday, we received news that Professor Trelawney had regained consciousness and was released late Monday afternoon, which was good news. Harry, Madame Hooch, and Hagrid's conditions, unfortunately remained unchanged.

"I wonder how we should break the news to Harry about Lupin?" Ron asked as we headed down to the hospital wing to see Harry the next afternoon.

"I'm sure he'll hear about it when he wakes up," Neville put in.

Once we got there, we greeted Harry's great-aunt, who was there in a small chair beside his bed. Miranda has the same nice smile that Harry does and has black hair and blue eyes. She was Harry's dad's maternal aunt.

We looked over at his aunt briefly, wondering. She shook her head briefly. Harry was still unconscious. We sat by his bed, taking turns holding his hand and talking to him softly.

Something stirred from the far end and it was Hagrid in a huge bed at the end of the wing, coming awake.

"Hagrid's awake!" Hermione crowed. Sure enough, he was slowly coming too and peering around.

"How're you feeling?" Harry asked.

"Lik I jus' cuma a truck..." Hagrid murmured. Madame Pomfrey went over to check on him. Further on, we saw that Madame Hooch was still out. Once Pomfrey passed us again, I asked how Madame Hooch was.

"Still unconscious, but stable," Pomfrey nodded. "Concussion and curse shock." We nodded soberly. Just two more people needed to pull through.

* * *

**Malfoy:**

"Heyy, take a look at this…a new Minister!" Goyle crowed as he waved the _Daily Prophet_ in my face in the Slytherin Common Room the following afternoon.

"Who is it?" I demanded, grabbed at the paper.

"Aranus Beckley…" Pansy announced, coming behind Goyle and Crabbe.

"Ehhh…" I looked over the article. "Don't remember ever seeing that name before. Let's hope he's better than that sot Fudge."

"But look over…he's doesn't have any plans to release any of all those people arrested who tried to stop the Order," Pansy sighed, leaning on me. She and I have been dating on and off since year three.

"Once he gets wind of what I told the Ministry last week, he'll want to meet me and reconsider things, especially my father," I told my friends. "He'll hopefully also see the havoc that these sorry excuses of teachers allowed here at Hogwarts and fire most of them."

"Let's hope…" Crabbe flopped onto a couch in front of the fireplace.

"If Potter dies, things will really get into shape then," I leaned back, savoring the thought of Potter close to death in the hospital wing. It would serve him right for butting his frog nose where it doesn't belong.

* * *

**Neville**:

Dinner that night was bittersweet...relief that everyone else was all right, but somber in the wake of Lupin's death. Owls came galore then and in the parcel pile was a special edition of the _Daily Prophet_.

Groups of death eaters had rampaged through several magical communities, including Hogsmeade, the Daper area, and some neighborhoods in Godric's Hollow, Rowena's Cove, and Hufflepuff Square.

"God..." Luna whispered and we looked at the pictures of damaged stores and littered streets. It did go on to say that Hogsmeade was repairing right now and many of the stores were spared as well as the people.

The other ravaged areas were getting to work also. Many died in some other villages battling death eaters. Many of those death eaters had also been caught and were in Azkaban.

"Good thing we have the new Ministry in place," I told the others. "It says further down here that Minister Beckley and Deputy Minister Margaret Bumence have allotted emergency funds and backup aurors and crews to help repair the damaged areas.

Just as we started to eat, we saw Professor Sprout rush in and whisper something to Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Dumbledore then _ning_ed his glass for attention and announced that Madame Hooch had regain consciousness and was now on the mend. All of us except Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe, and Pansy clapped and our table whooped.

"Just Harry to go," Hermione told us.

"Let's hope he pulls through," Ron added. The table was somehow empty without Harry. Quiet Harry, who sat with us and mostly listened, with his large serious pine-green eyes observing us closely. We all missed that and hoped he would come to soon.

"Y-you…" I had an awful thought cross my mind just then. "D-don't think Harry will wind up like my…parents…do you?" I fought back a lump in my throat.

"Oh, Neville…" Ginny put down her fork. "I…don't think so. Madame Pomfrey said that his brain isn't affected, just the nerve endings on part of his body." She continued to eat slowly as did the rest of us. I'd lost my appetite then and didn't eat much at all.

* * *

**Malfoy:**

I was combing my hair the next morning when an official-looking owl came for me. It didn't say any name, but had a stamp I recognized as the Ministry's stamp. It said for me to report to Professor Dumbledore's office at eleven today.

"Good!" I crowed.

Now my hard work would be recognized. Maybe the new Minister was there, telling Dumbledore and McGonagall to clean out their offices already! By the time I got there, they'd be heaping praise on me, asking a few more questions, then would install somebody better as the Headmaster, who then would be so impressed that he'd appoint me Head Boy.

What a way to enter my final and seventh year at Hogwarts! I'd graduate next year in a blaze of glory.

"Ministry officials, here I come!" I gleefully strode out of the dorm and toward the offices to claim my title of Head Boy for next year.

When I got there, I was surprised to not only see McGonagall and Dumbledore _still_ there, but Professor Snape as well. One of the Ministry officials I'd talked to the other day was there.

"Sit down…" McGonagall told me firmly.

I sat. What had flown up her this time? I wondered idly.

I looked to Snape to see if he could clue me in, but he just stared at me stonily. Now what was with him? I have noticed that he hasn't been as friendly to me since my father was tossed into prison, but still I'd expected some understanding from him.

"We were informed last week that you had spoken to a group of Ministry officials about the Order and presented your badge to them, is that correct?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes…" I wondered when they would cut to the point.

So, it wasn't as if I'd given away top-secret information from Hogwarts or anything. So why were they looking at me with these stern expressions?

"Hand your badge to me a minute, Mr. Malfoy," Snape put in.

I took the badge out of my pocket and handed it over, remembering too late that it was still charmed. I could tell them that it wasn't mine, that I'd found it on the floor, that I'd left my prefect badge in my room.

But Snape put the badge into a small flask of a blue fluid that I hadn't seen. He eyed the badge, which to my indignation, turned back into the Slytherin prefect badge. He then fished it out.

"Attempted to pass yourself off as Head Boy once you charmed your badge, ehh, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape then sneered at me.

"No, you don't understand…" I fumbled for an explanation.

"So, he's not the Head Boy after all…" the Ministry bloke nodded. "I suspect something about that badge that was off."

"No, he isn't," McGonagall told him. "This constitutes false misrepresentation, which is punishable by removal from the current post of prefect." Before I knew what was going on, all three of these teachers then talked among themselves and told me that I was no longer prefect.

"What!" I gasped. "But I was helping the school…" I started.

"Silence!" Snape snapped. "You might as well know that it was I who first recommended your removal earlier this month when you abused your prefect post…so now it is official…this badge and the Slytherin prefect post are no longer yours."

I stared at Snape, flabbergasted. Then at the other three, who bid me good day as if this incredible outrage had not just happened. There was nothing more for me to say to those imbeciles, so I stormed out, slamming the door behind me. I punched at the stupid phoenix statue when it took its dear sweet time opening.

Potter and his cronies break rules and get rewarded because allegedly they helped this excuse of a school…I do the same and get my arse kicked and my prefect badge taken away. I can't go to Father about this because his arse is still sitting in Azkaban. Grand.

* * *

**Harry**:

_Lestrange loomed over me ominously, imposing_..._I looked around and saw nothing but bodies and stifled a scream_. Thought you had escaped, didn't you, Boy Who Lived, _he sneered_. Buuut, pity, you're about to be the Boy Who Died.

He's here..._Draco Malfoy's voice came from behind and he sneered at me too. Looming behind him was Percy, his cold eyes fixed on me, his lip lifted in contempt. Behind them loomed Voldemort, bigger and stronger-looking than ever_. Crucio..._he hissed_.

The room was dark. With a scared cry, I struggled to sit up, but couldn't. Did they have me bound? Where had the death eaters taken me now? For some reason, the floor was soft…

"Shhhh..." A soothing, familiar voice came and I slowly realized that I was in a bed.

A soft light came on beside the bed and I struggled to focus. It was a woman.

"You're safe; you're here at Hogwarts…" she whispered and I realized it was Madame Pomfrey. She stroked me and whispered more soothing things.

"Where is everyone...is everyone...?" I was almost too frightened to ask.

Since I didn't have my glasses on, everything was a hopeless blur. I was a bit dizzy and felt weak.

"Your classmates are all right," Madame Pomfrey told me. "He's awake..." she told an assistant, whom I gathered was close by since I could hear faint movements. I couldn't see who it was.

"Rest, dear...rest." I turned a little and struggled to ask more questions, but my mouth felt too heavy to speak and I felt myself drifting off again...

* * *

**Ron:**

Just as we were about to sit down to dinner, Professor McGonagall motioned my friends and I over. "Good news…" she told us. "Mr. Potter has regained consciousness and is now on the mend."

"Yesss!" all of us bellowed and bolted from the Great Hall right there and ran down to the hospital wing before anyone could tell us to walk or slow down.

Yes, Harry was awake and he managed a weak smile when he saw us. "How are you feeling?" I whispered as we approached his bed.

"Better that I know all you…everyone's here," Harry whispered weakly.

His great-aunt had come back and stroked his arm. He could only keep his eyes open for short periods of time. His speech was woozy from medicine and just waking up.

"How is everyone else…did anyone…?" We looked at each other.

"Can we tell you when you get stronger?" Hermione asked. "Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall are all right; so are the rest of our classmates."

Harry looked like he wanted to say more, but sleep seemed to weigh him down and he drifted off.

* * *

**Harry:**

I got the feeling that some had died. I was relieved to see that it was none of my five closest friends or any of their parents and that it was none of the other students, but the way they'd looked at each other when I asked about others worried me.

I tried to shove that worry out of my mind and deal with a new concern right now…I couldn't move my left side. I soon discovered it when I awoke.

Auntie had to help me bathe even with magic and to go to the bathroom. Scared at being possibly so crippled, I flopped back into bed that weekend and let Madame Pomfrey check me over.

"What happened…?" I asked her.

I couldn't really remember anything but Percy approaching me with his wand, then he and I dueling, then Ginny being there.

"You were hit by the Avera Kedevra curse, but your friend Ginny blocked the spell and weakened it into a stunning spell." Pomfrey told me. "You were very fortunate she was there at the right time."

"Very..." I got out that word with an effort. If Ginny hadn't been there, I'd be dead. I'd have to thank her next time she visited.

It turned out that I was paralyzed on my left side and needed physical therapy to regain mobility on that side. I also had trouble finding some words when I spoke, which Madame Pomfrey told me would improve in a few days.

A therapist, Fiona Syrick came the following day and had me sit up slowly with her help, then hold onto a bar. It took several hours, but I managed to stand using the bar to hang on to.

I felt tingling on my left side, although it was still mostly numb. It felt so strange not being able to feel or move one whole side of me.

The first time I saw my left arm and hand hanging limp like a loose appendage, I had to keep from vomiting right there. I fought down the queasiness in my stomach and dragged myself onto the bar once more. I felt a twitch in my left foot and jumped a bit, which made Syrick smile.

"It's promising, dear…" she told me as I got back into bed.

I slid down under my sheet, eager to get some sleep after the long, exhausting day.

The next few days were very similar…but by the second day, I began to regain feeling in my left leg and arm. The third day, Medic Syrick had me walk on the bar, which had a rolling feature. Shakily and unsteadily, I did, panting by the time I got across.

"You're doing well, Harry!" she told me, handing me a towel to wipe the sweat off my face.

"Do you think I'll ever walk unaided?" I asked,

"Yes…very likely. Try walking back."

I did, my left side shaking and threatening to buckle. I was frightened I'd fall completely down on the floor, but I used my right side to clutch the bar when my left leg and arm gave. I had to stop once and pant more, then slowly made my way back to the bed.

I'd just collapsed onto my bed when I heard clapping by the door. I turned over and looked up to see my friends all there, clapping.

"Good job, Harry!" Hermione crowed as the five of them came in.

Medic Syrick greeted them and I introduced them to her, wiping more sweat off my face, which felt hot and red.

"Think you'll be out by the end of year feast?" Ginny asked.

"Looks promising," Syrick told them. "I think if you keep working at the therapy, you'll be out by then. You might still need a crutch and I'll prescribe some exercises and anti-spasm spells before you go home for the summer, Harry."

I nodded, wiping my glasses off.

I had several other visitors over the next few days between therapy sessions, including Professors McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Snape. Another one was Madame Hooch. It was Madame Hooch who'd told me that yes, she, my mother and Alice Longbottom had been good friends back in their youth and had had many adventures and experiences.

"In many ways, you and your friends remind me of us," Madame Hooch held my hand.

"You sure did a lot of amazing things…" I told her. "You saved this school from closing several times also." We were silent a minute.

"You remind me very much of her," Madame Hooch added.

* * *

**Luna:**

Harry continued his therapy all weekend and was released Monday afternoon. He had regained his speech and his walking, but still needed a crutch and was still slightly unsteady on his left side. His left hand still needed work; it still occasionally was spastic and had trouble grasping objects.

We were in the Gryffindor common room early that afternoon when Harry came in and just one look at his face told us that he'd gotten the news of Lupin and Figg's deaths. We all came over and gave him a hug, including Ron. Harry shakily sat.

"I guess the rest of you were told when you came back..." Harry said softly. We nodded. "My aunt told me this morning about Lupin and Figg..." Harry's eyes glinted with tears and he took a shuddery breath. "Are you all coming to the memorial they're having for them?"

"Yes..." I told him. "McGonagall announced that Lupin's would be by the lake next to the mountains right before we leave Hogwarts for the summer. Figg's will be at Grimmauld Place once we get there next week. " Harry nodded.

"It's...so brave what they did for all of us..." Harry whispered. "It's just unreal that they're gone..."

It was unreal. The spring sky outside even seemed a surreal blue. A small fire was going in the fireplace, but the weather report predicted that by our last day, the weather would be warmer.

It could have been minutes; it could have been a few hours that we sat here deep in thought, softly saying little insignificant things back and forth, but our minds churning with deeper things that we'd never dig completely to the surface to say out loud.

Exams had been cancelled just like four years ago, so there was little studying to fill the gaping time. That time was open for a lot of brooding and reflecting.

* * *

**Harry**:

Since Auntie lives in Godric's Hollow, it's easy for her to apparate near Hogwarts grounds, then walk on over, so we saw a lot of each other over that last week of school.

Ron's parents had stayed for several days as well. All of our parents would be at the memorial ceremony for Lupin, so we made plans to meet at the Grand Entrance.

The floo networks were partially up; only officials and teachers could floo. On the way down to the End-Of-The-Year Feast, my friends and I met with several of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws who'd helped us with the rescue and thanked them for their help. They in turn thanked us for our part.

"The memorial for Mr. Lupin will be held at ten-thirty tomorrow," Dumbledore announced. "All students and parents are invited to attend..." The parents who'd come to Hogwarts were on a table at the end of the hall.

"...as for the points..." Dumbledore continued. "Three houses showed outstanding courage and selfless love for their fellow students...Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor...five hundred points for each house."

The Great Hall erupted in applause, then quieted back down again. "And special recognition goes to the faculty involved in this effort for their help and undying support of these courageous students. Let's give them a big round..."

The clapping and bellowing got louder as we all stood and gave the teachers a standing ovation. Hagrid and Hooch were back on their feet again much to my relief.

It must have been a good five minutes before the clapping subsided. I noticed that some of the Slytherins were standing while others, including Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were seated.

I noticed also that Malfoy had a splint going up the bridge of his nose and vaguely recalled hearing that he and Justin Finch-Fletcher had gotten into a physical fight earlier this week over a sneakascope and that Justin had not only broken Malfoy's nose, but knocked out three of Malfoy's side teeth as well.

Once we slowly sat and started to eat, I heard a huge clatter from the Slytherin side.

"Looks like Malfoy's pissed," Ron peered over where he had the best view. "He just threw a plate clear across the table." He snickered and dug into the chicken. I did see the plate, or pieces of the plate scattered across the floor.

"...and I tried to set things straight in this stupid place!" Malfoy's voice rose.

"Shhh..." Pansy and Crabbe tried to quiet him.

"No, you _shhh_!" Malfoy snapped. "I'm so sick of a lot of these other houses making our house look bad!" Malfoy dumped some lettuce on his plate, but was so mad he ended up dropping most of it on the floor. Part of his shepherd's pie followed the lettuce onto the floor.

"Ahhh-hayyy, Malfoy!" Goyle jeered, his mouth full of food. Some of it flew out of his mouth and landed on Malfoy and Crabbe.

"Oh, shut UP, Goyle!" Malfoy bellowed. "And go finish your eating outside by a pig trough or something! Might as well since you've been kicked out of this place for next year because of your rotten grades!" Several teachers looked over and Snape frowned in their direction.

Malfoy, I think noticed, because he jumped up so fast he knocked his chair over backwards and waved his cronies to go with him. But Crabbe and Goyle were so into the food that they just waved him on and kept eating. Only Pansy got up to join him. Malfoy looked stunned a minute, then furious as they stormed out.

I could only just shake my head and keep eating. Ron declared, "Show's over for the summer..." as he turned back to his food.

The day of the memorial service dawned clear and warm. I think most of Hogwarts and chunks of others turned out for this. There were a number of the Hogsmeade store managers and owners as well as some from Diagon Alley.

Lupin was really well known, I thought, glancing around from where I stood with my friends. A lot of us were still sleepy and most of us looked sad. I know I was feeling very sad as I saw the sun sparkling over the lake and could hear various birds and other creatures, both magic and muggle singing through wooded areas.

"Let us begin our service by honoring the life that Lupin led..." McGonagall placed the box containing Lupin's ashes onto a podium. She gave a short speech, then several of us went around and said a memory of Lupin.

Mine was, "I'll never forget how Lupin..." I swallowed before going on. "...back in my th-third...year...he cared enough to help me overcome my fear of the dementors." My eyes stung when I finished.

Ron's voice broke some when he went over his memory and so did Hermione's…and many others.

I caught a glimpse of Snape and as he spoke, I thought about how he wasn't as bitter toward Lupin as he had been toward the rest of the former Marauders who'd bullied him back in his youth.

I wondered if under different circumstances, they might have even been friends. It's odd to think about how much impact the friends you hang about with have an impact on you.

I recalled a story I'd heard earlier this year that Neville had heard from his grandmother…my mum wasn't really close friends with any of the Marauders until she started dating my dad in their seventh year.

By then the Marauders had mostly gone separate ways, so it was just my dad and Sirius hanging about together then…but back in their third year, Lupin had been fooling around with some device, I think a sneakascope in a lesson and the teacher had confiscated it.

Lupin had really loved this device and was crying over the loss of it. Later on, my mum had secretly placed a memory charm on the teacher and sneaked it off the teacher's desk and given it back to him, although she and Lupin really didn't know each other well.

I'm not sure why that thought came to my head just then…I guess it was remembering how in my third year when Lupin taught here, he'd commented on my mum's kindness to him.

There were a lot of tears and McGonagall's eyes were moist as she opened the box and added how Lupin loved the mountains, especially ones with a lake in the middle, then released the ashes, which were magicked into an invisible gas and dissolved into the air.

As the service drew to a close, Ginny whispered, "Remember this Marauders' Map?" she held it out. We sure did. It showed us here by the lake now, we could see...Lupin's form floating in the air, and we were sure he turned and waved at us...goodbye.

The sight dissolved all of us into a huge puddle of tears. We could hear others getting ready to leave. I had to take off my glasses and one of my tears dropped onto the map. _Oh, dear_, I thought. I tried to wipe my eyes, but saw some kind of writing...

"It says that he's joining Sirius..." Hermione sobbed.

That made us really keep crying and we clung to each other in a daze, our tears flowing freely. Lupin, the last of the former Marauders was now gone. I don't really count Pettigrew, who is now in Azkaban, among them often since he wasn't a true friend to them.

"So, I'll meet you back at the King's Cross Station?" Miranda asked me softly as she and I walked back to Hogwarts.

I nodded, my throat still lumpy and achy from the recent flood of tears I'd shed. "I'm so proud of you, dear," Miranda gave me a hug, her own eyes moist.

"Thank...you...for...all..." I whispered, my voice still a bit raspy and cracked.

At the door, we hugged and I went upstairs to the Gryffindor dorms with my friends, so we could finish packing for our summer holiday.

The mood was a bit sober, but some of us talked back and forth about our summer plans. Hermione, Ron, Neville, and I would have summer jobs and so would most of our agemates.

"...could have sworn I saw Snape tearing up a little," Dean Thomas was saying.

"Snape in tears!" Lavender mock-fainted. "That'd happen."

"No, I think I did see him getting a bit wet-eyed as McGonagall opened the box," Dean insisted.

"It was a beautiful ceremony," Ginny put in.

"I'm glad most of the death eaters were caught," Lavender added. "There haven't been any more incidents since then."

"It's a shame we didn't catch Voldemort," Ron told us.

"Yeah...but he's been weakened," Hermione put in.

"Weakened...?" Dean looked puzzled.

"_Spells and Magical Powers_, chapter nine, page three hundred and sixteen," Hermione quoted. "It says a warlock or evil witch attains the greatest power by having as many others as possible under their control. With the death eaters under Voldemort's control, he had great power. But now that the death eaters are under Azkaban's power, he's lost most of that power base. So, once he is caught, he'll be easier to defeat."

It was great hearing Hermione quote books again!

"Good point..." I nodded.

I did remember hearing that somewhere. I only hoped Voldemort's power base had been at least weakened so he couldn't do as much damage as he had before.

We were done packing, so taking one last look about, we headed out to catch the Hogwarts Express to start our summer holiday.


	8. Epilogue

_A/N_: And here is the final installation of this story...a bit of a surprise ending also! The usual disclaimers that none of the HP characters and places are mine, much as I wish dear, dear Harry was...enjoy!

**FlooJacked!**

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

_**Epilogue**_

**Harry**:

"Our first few weeks of the summer fading fast," Ron leaned back after finishing a huge double-dip cone of multi-flavored ice cream at the table we sat at that mid-June. My friends and I had met here in Diagon Alley to spend the day and now we were having a late day ice cream snack.

More like a mid-evening since it was around nine in the evening and the sun was low in the sky. _Just one more year at Hogwarts_, I thought.

At Grimmauld Place, we'd had our memorial for Arabella Figg, another somber, bittersweet affair. She had played a major part in keeping my sanity intact the time I spent staying with the Dursleys'. If only I'd gotten a chance to tell her.

I was looking forward to starting work at the Flourish and Blotts bookstore in Diagon Alley. Hermione was working at Papers Parchments and All, an office supply store also in Diagon Alley. Ron would be working on the filing in his mum's office. Ginny and Luna still have one more year to go before they're old enough to work.

It's nice to be earning my own money. I still have reserves of the money my parents left me, but I plan to save it for my last year of Hogwarts, for college and until I got financially sound.

More and more, I know I want to be an auror, class B, which is the equivalent of a barrister in the muggle world. I also spend at least an hour a day playing my bariol and sometimes, I played the violin my mum had left to me.

We were almost done with our ice cream when we heard someone familiar...Snape? Sure enough, he was nearby talking to someone just outside of the Apothecary. I guess we saw each other at the same time because his eyes widened a bit and he came slowly over.

"Hello..." he greeted with an actual hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"Hi..." We responded.

"So, what brings you out here, Professor Snape?" Luna asked.

"Lots of things, mainly getting supplies for a research position I'm starting in Ireland after Voldemort is finally defeated," Snape told us.

"Research position...?" I asked, puzzled.

"Yes, I will not be returning to Hogwarts this fall," Snape announced. "I will still be working with all of you through the Order, but just not teaching." We were quiet, I think surprised for a long minute.

I always knew Snape wasn't happy teaching, but it was still a surprise that he actually stepped down from his Potions position, not to mention head of the Slytherin house. "Surprised?" Snape asked.

"I...guess so," Hermione nodded.

"After so many nights thinking about this and discussing it with Professor Dumbledore, he decided it was safe for me to venture outside of Hogwarts." Snape told us.

"Oh...hey, that's good that you'll finally find a career you'll enjoy," I said softly. I really meant it.

"I think I will," Snape actually grinned this time. "This research position is secured, promises good pay and will be much more to my liking. So, I bid all of you good luck and I will see you at the next Order meeting." With that, Snape stood and started off.

"Bye, Professor Snape..." "See you..." we called after him as he slowly vanished into the crowd.

"I suspected he wasn't really a bad bloke," I told my friends as we got ready to head home. "It's good to see him get into something he'll enjoy for a change."

"Even when he asked you those bizarre questions you couldn't answer that first day at Hogwarts?" Ron asked.

"I guess...at first I didn't know what to think."

"I wonder who'll take his place?" Hermione wondered as we headed down the street to the nearest floo fireplace. The floo networks were back up, but had undergone revamping to make it more tamperproof.

Walking through the streets of Hogsmeade, we could see that many of the damaged buildings had been rebuilt and people were coming back in droves.

It was as if people were fighting back and refusing to let Voldemort or any remaining death eaters disrupt their lives. There were still no leads to Voldemort yet and it was suspected that he was in hiding and would try again to get more followers in an attempt to rebuild his power base.

But for now we had a reprieve and the Order Of Phoenix would be on the lookout for any signs of Voldemort coming out again, especially since even alone, he could still pose a threat.

The Parliament of Magic selected an Aranus Beckley as the new Minister to replace Fudge. So far, we've heard very good things about him.

There was the gaping hole that Arabella Figg's and Remus Lupin's deaths had left. It was healing, though. Bit by bit, we could remember and talk of them without breaking down.

In early July, the Order and Young Order will be meeting again at Grimmauld Place to finalize our plan for the final defeat of Voldemort.

I'm formulating an idea just now about the spell my late mum, Lily used to protect me the night she died. If there is a way to conjure it from my subconscious, I suspect it will be a tremendous asset to the Young and Main Order. I plan to bring it up to Aunt Miranda, then at the upcoming meeting.

As for my friends and I...seventh year was on the way and when it came we'd make the most of our final year before departing for the universities and adulthood, Voldemort threat or not. It was something to build on.

Storyline Copyright 2003 by **CNJ**


End file.
